Design and thermal characterization of an induction-heated reactor for pyrolysis of solid waste

A small-scale induction heated reactor (IHR) was specifically developed to study fast pyrol-ysis, here investigated as the first step of gasification process, representing some of the reaction conditions encountered in a fluidized bed reactor. First, the thermal response of the system was characterized at transient and steady state, and CFD calculations were performed to have a complete description of the temperature profiles inside the reactor. The novel device can handle a few grams of solid at temperatures up to 900 degrees C, allowing high heating rates (near 80 degrees C/s) and a uniform distribution of temperature in the sample. Sec-ondly, the pyrolysis of a solid recovered fuel (SRF) sample was carried out at 800 degrees C, and the distribution and composition of reaction products were analyzed and compared with tests performed in a pilot scale fluidized bed reactor (FBR). The results obtained in the IHR showed a good reproducibility. The same main gas and tar species were measured in the IHR and FBR, with some differences in gas and tar composition that were attributed to the extent of secondary reactions, enhanced by higher heat transfer rates and the presence of bed material in the FBR. (C) 2021 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A small-scale induction heated reactor (IHR) was developed for studying fast pyrolysis, which showed good reproducibility with results obtained in a pilot scale fluidized bed reactor (FBR), demonstrating differences in gas and tar composition attributed to secondary reactions influenced by higher heat transfer rates and bed material in FBR.