Mathematical Modeling of a Semibatch Pyrolyser for Sesame Oil Cake

Abstract

The present study deals with slow pyrolysis of sesame oil cake in an isothermally operated 50 mm diameter and 640 mm long semibatch pyrolyser in the temperature range of 673–1173 K. Under isothermal condition, a lumped parameter model has been used to determine the kinetic parameters for degradation of solid reactant and formation of volatile and char. The iso-conversional kinetics applicable for DAEM (distributed activation energy model) processes have also been determined for pyrolysis of sesame oil cake under nonisothermal conditions based on the thermogravimetric analyses data at different heating rates. The activation energies at different conversion almost follow a Gaussian distribution. On the basis of presently determined lumped kinetic parameters and the literature data for secondary pyrolysis kinetics, a mathematical model has been developed. The model can predict the time histories of unreacted solid, char, CO, H2, CO2, CH4 and condensable pyro-oil. Simulated predictions have been compared with the experimental results satisfactorily.