Effects of Catalyst on Pyrolysis of Laurel (Laurus Nobilis L.) Seed in a Fixed Bed Tubular Reactor

Abstract

In this study, the daphne seed (Laurus nobilis L.) was used as biomass sample for catalytic pyrolysis using (Ni/Al2O3) commercial catalyst (Criterion-454) in the nitrogen atmosphere. Experimental studies were conducted in a fixed bed tubular reactor with a heating rate of 300 degrees C.min(-1), a final pyrolysis temperature of 600 degrees C and particle size of 0.6-0.85 mm. In order to establish the effect of catalyst ratio on the pyrolysis yields, experiments were conducted at a range of catalyst ratios between 0, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 % (w/w). The non-catalytic and catalytic pyrolysis oils were characterized by elemental analysis and some spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques. Catalytic pyrolysis was enhanced the yield and physical properties of the pyrolysis oils and confirmed that lower feed to catalyst ratio increased the pyrolysis oil yield. The oil was rich in hydrocarbon and thus termed as catalytic pyrolysis oils which can be used as fuel.