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Provisional investigation of biomass pyrolysis in CSTR using Simulink® and Aspen Plus®

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Abstract

A Simulink-based model is designed to simulate biomass pyrolysis as a case study. The Simulink model has a separate database for system models, material properties, and thermodynamic models. The data flow has been standardised and straightforward to use with user-supplied data. The simulation results are validated with the results from Aspen Plus. Given that Aspen Plus is licensed software cast-aside, the scope for young researchers to design and analyse the performance of a process. The purpose is not an alternative to Aspen Plus but to serve the ease of accessibility and work. The present case study considers biomass pyrolysis in a bubbling bed reactor. The screw feeder is considered, in practice, to accomplish continuous introduction of feed biomass to the bed. The bubbling bed realises vigorous mixing of solid-phase; a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) model is more suitable to represent the pyrolysis reaction dynamics. The pyrolysis reactions were proposed and applied to model a pyrolysis reactor. This process analysis is based on operating factors such as reaction temperature, residence duration, biomass-wood type, and reactor type. To evaluate the foregoing findings, the results of other researchers’ process analyses are compared. Pyro-char, a by-product of pyro-oil manufacture, aids in retaining moisture and nutrients in forest soils and has been an aspect of environmental importance. Hence, this research focuses on determining the precise reaction for biomass pyrolysis in a CSTR with high oil yield rates, char yields, and biomass conversion.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Sourav Poddar and Dr Sarat Chandra Babu J. for guiding them throughout the research. The authors would like to thank Dr. (Mrs.) P. Kalaichelvi, Head Department of Chemical Engineering, and the Director Prof. (Dr.) Mini Shaji Thomas and the administration of the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, for helping us with immense support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, India

    Yamini K., Sandeep Charan K., Sourav Poddar &  Sarat Chandra Babu J.

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  1. Yamini K.
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  2. Sandeep Charan K.
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  3. Sourav Poddar
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  4. Sarat Chandra Babu J.
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Contributions

Yamini K. did the paper writing in this work. Both Yamini K. and Sandeep Charan K. have performed the analysis required for this work in MATLAB-Simulink and Aspen Plus environments. Yamini K: conceptualisation, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, software utilisation, validation, visualisation, writing. Sandeep Charan K: conceptualisation, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, software utilisation, validation, visualisation, writing. Dr Sourav Poddar: conceptualisation, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, software utilisation, validation, visualisation, writing, review, and editing — original and final manuscript. Prof. (Dr.) J. Sarat Chandra Babu: funding acquisition, project administration, supervision, validation, visualisation, writing — review and editing.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Sourav Poddar or Sarat Chandra Babu J..

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Highlights

• The proximate and ultimate analysis required for pyrolysis of biomass is summarised.

• Pioneer to simulate, the rate equations are required for pyrolysis with biomass feedstock in Simulink.

• Reviewed the results from Simulink using Aspen Plus.

• In conclusion, determined the precise reaction for pyrolysis of biomass which can be deployed, reliant on the scope of the research.

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K., Y., K., S.C., Poddar, S. et al. Provisional investigation of biomass pyrolysis in CSTR using Simulink® and Aspen Plus®. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 13, 15903–15916 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02311-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02311-9

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