Molten salt pyrolysis of milled beech wood using an electrostatic precipitator for oil collection

Heidi S. Nygård; Espen Olsen; Heidi S. Nygård; Espen Olsen

doi:10.3934/energy.2015.3.284

AIMS Energy

2015, Volume 3, Issue 3: 284-296. doi: 10.3934/energy.2015.3.284

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Molten salt pyrolysis of milled beech wood using an electrostatic precipitator for oil collection

Heidi S. Nygård ^,,
Espen Olsen

Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1430 Ås, Norway

Received: 19 May 2015 Accepted: 15 July 2015 Published: 22 July 2015

A tubular electrostatic precipitator (ESP) was designed and tested for collection of pyrolysis oil in molten salt pyrolysis of milled beech wood (0.5-2 mm). The voltage-current (V-I) characteristics were studied, showing most stable performance of the ESP when N₂ was utilized as inert gas. The pyrolysis experiments were carried out in FLiNaK and (LiNaK)₂CO₃ over the temperature range of 450-600 ℃. The highest yields of pyrolysis oil were achieved in FLiNaK, with a maximum of 34.2 wt% at 500 ℃, followed by a decrease with increasing reactor temperature. The temperature had nearly no effect on the oil yield for pyrolysis in (LiNaK)₂CO₃(19.0-22.5 wt%). Possible hydration reactions and formation of HF gas during FLiNaK pyrolysis were investigated by simulations (HSC Chemistry software) and measurements of the outlet gas (FTIR), but no significant amounts of HF were detected.
- beech wood,
- pyrolysis,
- molten salts,
- electrostatic,
- precipitator
Citation: Heidi S. Nygård, Espen Olsen. Molten salt pyrolysis of milled beech wood using an electrostatic precipitator for oil collection[J]. AIMS Energy, 2015, 3(3): 284-296. doi: 10.3934/energy.2015.3.284

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Abstract

A tubular electrostatic precipitator (ESP) was designed and tested for collection of pyrolysis oil in molten salt pyrolysis of milled beech wood (0.5-2 mm). The voltage-current (V-I) characteristics were studied, showing most stable performance of the ESP when N₂ was utilized as inert gas. The pyrolysis experiments were carried out in FLiNaK and (LiNaK)₂CO₃ over the temperature range of 450-600 ℃. The highest yields of pyrolysis oil were achieved in FLiNaK, with a maximum of 34.2 wt% at 500 ℃, followed by a decrease with increasing reactor temperature. The temperature had nearly no effect on the oil yield for pyrolysis in (LiNaK)₂CO₃(19.0-22.5 wt%). Possible hydration reactions and formation of HF gas during FLiNaK pyrolysis were investigated by simulations (HSC Chemistry software) and measurements of the outlet gas (FTIR), but no significant amounts of HF were detected.

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