Desenvolvimento de reator pirolítico para produção e caracterização de biochar

Abstract

The resulting product of pyrolysis, the biochar can contribute to carbon sequestration and improve soil properties. However, biochar’s own properties vary depending on its production parameters, such as pyrolysis temperature, heating rate, residence time, and raw material, which makes it fundamental to understand the influence of these conditions over biochar’s chemical and physical properties. The aim is to develop a pyloysis reactor with temperature control, and restriction on oxygen (O2) input, to produce biochar under different conditions, as well as to study the influence of temperature and residence time on the resulting biochar whose raw material is cedrinho (Erisma uncinatum Warm, Vochysiaceae). The experiment was fully casual and had a 4x3 factorial design: four temperatures (300, 400, 500 e 600 ◦C), and three residence times (1, 2 e 3 h). The variables analyzed were immediate analysis (moisture, content of volatile materials, ashes and fixed carbon), gravimetric yield, and pH. The equipment showed good performance regarding temperature control and operation safety. The heating rates varied from 25,37 to 40,42 ◦Cmin−1 , and the maximum outer surface temperature was 144 ◦C. The temperature the most influential factor on the studied variables. The content of volatile materials reduced by 27,17 units by rising the temperature, while the content of fixed carbon increased by 24,77 units. pH also increased by increasing pyrolysis temperature.