Ex 2 Simulation of biomass fast pyrolysis

Introduction:
Biomass fast pyrolysis is a highly non-equilibrium reaction where the reactants main components (lignin,
celluloses and hemicelluloses) are broken down in shorter molecules like acids, aldehydes, phenols, sugars
and non-condensable gases. More than 200 different components have been identified in pyrolysis oil and
their share depends heavily on the feedstock, process parameters but also on the measurement
equipment, i.e. modeling of biomass fast pyrolysis is not trivial. The approach used here will use indicatoror pseudo-components that represent the actual composition of pyrolysis oil.
In short the following steps will allow modeling of biomass fast pyrolysis:
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Biomass will be defined as non-conventional component (neither molecular weight nor molecular
structure can be given); its attributes will be computed with AspenPlus built-in models Hcoalgen
and Dcoalligt.
Pyrolysis will be modeled with a yield reactor where the product will be defined by the user. The
program will then calculate the energy balance based on the difference of the heat of formation
between the products and the reactants.

Step 1 Simulation set-up

Open a blank simulation. Name it and save it as .apw or .bkp file!
In the Properties section, select Components and define the components BIOMASS, ASH, CHAR and
LIGNIN as of the type non-conventional. In Methods select UNIQUAC as base method. In Methods
NCProps select models HCOALGEN and DCOALIGT for each NC component.
In the Simulation section, Main Flowsheet, select a yield reactor and connect streams to and from it. In the
Setup sheet, set Stream class to MIXNC. This will enable calculation of non-conventional components.
Define Biomass In: T=25 C, p=1bar, m=1kg/s. Enter its Component Attribute as given in table 1.
Step 2 Pyrolysis reaction
Set reaction conditions to 1bar, 500 C.
Define the reaction yields according to table 2; first you have to add the components to the component list,
make sure that the CAS numbers are correct. Accept all default settings in the properties section.
FYI: Those values have been computed by matching the molar balance and simultaneously minimizing
derivation between measured values and used pseudo-components.
Hint: In the reactor block, Comp. Attr., also the non-conventional product components need to be defined
by their analyses according to table 3.
Table 1: Fuel analysis
Ult. Analysis (w-%dry)
C
50.64
H
6.1
O
42.22
N
0.16
S
0.08
Ash
0.8

Prox. Analysis (w-%wet)

Moisture
10.00
VM
82.73
FC
16.47
Ash
0.8

Sulphur Analysis (w-%dry)

Pyritic
0
Sulphate
0
Organic
0.08

Table 2: Mathematically modelled values for BFP product

Group

Component

Formula

CAS

Gas

Carbonmonoxide

CO

630-08-0

Hydrogen

H2

1333-74-0

Methane

CH4

74-82-8

0,48

Liquid / Oil

Solids

Final yield [g]

56,81
8,13

Carbondioxide

CO2

124-38-9

46,93

Ethane

C2H6

74-84-0

1,96

Propane

C3H8

74-98-6

2,10

Ammonia

NH3

7664-41-7

1,72

Hydrogensulfide

H2S

7783-06-4

0,75

Phenol
Formic Acid

C6H6O
CH2O2

108-95-2
64-18-6

42,01
100,10

Formaldehyde
Glucose

CH2O
C6H12O6

50-00-0
50-99-7

148,65
58,41

Fluoranthene

C16H10

206-44-0

88,07

Dihydrogenoxide

H2O

7732-18-5

172,02

Pyrolitic Lignin

NC

CH1.1O0.3

142,85

Char

NC

CH0.48O0.23

121,85

Ash

NC

Ash

SUM

7,14
1000,00

Table 3: Chemical composition of pyrolytic lignin, char and ash.

Pyrolytic Lignin, (proximate analysis estimated)
Ult. Analysis (w-% dry)
C
66.80
H
6.18
O
27.02
N
0
S
0
Ash
0

Prox. Analysis (w-%wet)

Moisture
0
VM
80
FC
20
Ash
0

Sulphur Analysis (w-%dry)

Pyritic
0
Sulphate
0
Organic
0

Char, (proximate analysis estimated)

Ult. Analysis (w-%dry)
C
74.32
H
2.99
O
22.69
N
0
S
0
Ash
0

Prox. Analysis (w-%wet)

Moisture
0
VM
20
FC
80
Ash
0

Sulphur Analysis (w-%dry)

Pyritic
0
Sulphate
0
Organic
0

Prox. Analysis (w-%wet)

Moisture
0
VM
0
FC
0
Ash
100

Sulphur Analysis (w-%dry)

Pyritic
0
Sulphate
0
Organic
0

Ash
Ult. Analysis (w-%dry)
C
0
H
0
O
0
N
0
S
0
Ash
100

Questions:
1. Run the simulation. What is the heat of pyrolysis?
2. Extend your model by a separator that splits off all char and ash.
What is the total massflow of gaseous pyrolysis product?
How large is the liquid mass fraction in the product?
3. Cool both streams to 25 C.
How much heat could be recovered from the char, how much from the gas/liquid product?
What is the vapor fraction after cooling?
4. Separate the gases at 25 C and combust them by using an adiabatic and atmospheric Gibbs
reactor. Feed 1.2 kg/s air at 1 bar and 25 C (molar O2/N2 = 21/79) to the combustor. Add
SO2 and NO2 to the components.
Does the heat generated fulfill the heat demand of the pyrolysis reactor? Make sure you
consider the correct temperature range.
What are the heat losses when compared to ambient conditions (1 bar, 25 C)?
5. All char will be combusted. For that, feed the char stream into an additional yield reactor
where it is decomposed into its elements (you will have to enter the yield, add C to the
components). The decomposed stream is fed to a Gibbs reactor where combustion takes
place under the same conditions as given in 5. The air flow is 1.25 kg/s at 1bar and 25 C.
Connect the Yield reactor and the Gibbs reactor with a heat flow. Mix the flows leaving the
two combustions reactors and cool them to 1070C by heating water at 100 bars from 120
to 450C.
What is the massflow of water?
6. Now apply a heat exchanger that extracts the heat required for the pyrolysis process.
What is the FG temperature after the pyrolysis process?
7. Utilise all remaining heat contained in the flue gases for generating steam at 100bars
pressure, T = 450 C. Feedwater temperature is 120C; exhaust gases leave at 170 C. Steam
is expanded in a turbine (isentropic efficiency 90%, condenser pressure 0.2 bar).
How much electricity can be generated?
8. Real biomass would require drying from M=50% to M=10%. Assuming a drying temperature
of 80C use of heat of condensation of steam as a heat source, and an energy consumption
of 4000 kJ/kg water evaporated; is there enough heat in the steam? What is the power
generation? From where could we gain more heat? Do you think the process is
energetically self-sufficient?
Hint: