Fixed-bed pyrolysis of safflower seed:: influence of pyrolysis parameters on product yields and compositions

Fixed-bed slow pyrolysis experiments have been conducted on a sample of safflower seed to determine particularly the effects of pyrolysis temperature, heating rate, particle size and sweep gas flow rate on the pyrolysis product yields and their chemical compositions. The maximum oil yield of 44% was obtained at the final pyrolysis temperature of 500 degreesC, particle size range of +0.425-1.25 mm, with heating rate of 5 degreesC min(-1) and sweep gas (N-2) flow rate of 100 cm(3) min(-1) in a fixed-bed lab-scale reactor. Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies on the pyrolytic oil showed that the oil obtained from safflower seed can be used as a renewable fuel and chemical feedstock with a calorific value of 41.0 MJ/kg and empirical formula of CH1.92O0.11N0.02. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.