Vacuum-pyrolysis pilot plant

This paper discusses the preliminary engineering data leading to the construction of a vacuum pyrolysis pilot plant for the conversion of wood into oils, chemicals and charcoal. 

The PDU vacuum pyrolysis reactor is a semi-continuous horizontal pilot plant reactor 3 m long with a diameter of 0.6 m and a throughput capacity of about 50 - 200 kg/h, depending on the feedstock treated. The configuration of the PDU reactor is almost the same as that of the industrial reactor, except t t the PDU has smaller agitation blades. Two types of tests have been conducted with this reactor, the cold and the hot runs. In the cold tests, the particle flow behaviour is studied by a stimulus-response technique, under different agitation speeds and feed rates. The hot tests enable the conversion to be determined as a function of the feed rate and the agitation speed. 

Figure 4.35 Pilot plant for the vacuum pyrolysis of used tyres.129...

The multi-stage vacuum pyrolysis was developed by C. Roy and co-workers, initially at the Universite de Sherbrooke and, currently, at the Universite Laval, in collaboration with Petro-Sun International Inc. there is a pilot demonstration of a single-stage plant at St-Amable, Quebec. The unit has a capacity of 200 kg/hr and is designed for used tires. The technology is based on a multiple hearth vacuum pyrolysis process development unit located near the Universite Laval and operating at a 30 kg/hr biomass capacity. 

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