Response surface methodology optimized co-pyrolysis of mixed date seeds and chicken bones for bio-oil production

Abstract

Background

Co-pyrolysis of date seeds (DS) and chicken bone (CB) mixture in a fixed bed reactor to produce pyrolytic oil (PO). The process was adjusted using Central Composite Design (CCD) followed by Response surface methodology (RSM) to produce an optimal PO yield.

Methods

To evaluate the pattern and relation between the experimental responses and the process variables, the variables, including temperature (400 °C - 600 °C), feedstock particle size (0.15–0.35 mm), heating rate (10–50 °C/min), and time (40–80 min), were investigated.

Significant Findings

The extreme output of the PO was 65.11 % and was produced at 500 °C using a 0.25 mm particle size and a heating rate of 30 °C/min for 60 min. Quantifying the bio-oil (BO) by GC–MS analysis showed the BO consisted mostly of oxygenated hydrocarbons (73.16 %), including acids (64.16 %), aldehydes and ketone (4.45 %), esters (4.20 %), and alcohols (0.35 %). Other components included hydrocarbons (33.84 % (paraffin, 16.89 %; olefines, 16.3 %; and alkynes, 0.65 %)) and nitrogen compounds (5.79 %). In conclusion, the mixed DSCB can be used as a resource for pyrolysis and produce a complex mixture of acids, esters, and alkanes.