Production of Pyrolytic Oil from Cassava Peel Wastes

Abstract

This study investigated the production of pyrolytic oil from cassava peel wastes. Pyrolysis is a very important thermochemical method for converting biomass into biofuel. In recent times, the production of biofuel has taken center stage due to concerns over the sustainability of conventional energy sources. Pyrolysis has received much attention by researchers because it can be used to optimize the production of high calorific value pyrolytic oil. A fixed bed pyrolysing unit was constructed for the production of liquid fuel in this study. Cassava peels were pyrolysed in the reactor. The temperature of reaction was varied to investigate the effect of temperature variation on the product distribution in terms of the percentage weight distribution and the calorific value of the pyrolytic oil. A maximum pyrolytic oil yield of 28.4 wt.% was obtained at 500 °C. The effect of temperature changes on calorific value was also investigated and it was observed that the maximum calorific value of 29.7 MJ/kg was obtained at 600°C.