Hiroshi Shimizu*, Edwin Carcasona*, Sittisak Uparivong*, Rattanachai Pairintra***, Osamu Kitani**, Kenzou Taneda* and Yoshinobu Ota*

* Faculty of Agriculture Iwate University
** Faculty of Agriculture Tokyo University
*** King Monkut's Institute of Technology

+ Correspordence should be addressed to Yoshinobu Ota:
Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University
(3-18-8, Ueda, Morioka-city, Iwate 020 Japan)

Abstract

A small scale (30cm inside-dia., 60cm height furnace) experimental up-flow type pyrolysis reactor was fabricated and tested using bark-pellet as test material. The results were: 1) The exhaust gas temperature from the furnace was automatically controlled at a temperature close to the boiling point of water. The produced moisture were discharged from the furnace. The furnace could then be effectively utilized because of the thick reduction layer that was maintained. 2) A cooling layer was formed below where the combustion air was supplied (combustion layer) by installing a water cooled pipe. Water gas reaction was effectively achieved by supplying steam into the reduction layer, increasing the amount of combustible gas. 3) Sufficient heat insulation was ensured by covering the exterior of the wall with a fire-proof wool material, decreasing the heat capacity of the wall material, and improving the reaction sensitivity. Heat loss from the circular wall was also measured. 4) A small quantity of produced gas was discharged from the small blower installed in the auger. The mixing of air in the produced gas was avoided. 5) Tar was removed after the exhaust gas was cooled and separated in the cyclone. A pure gas that can support the operation of an internal combustion engine was obtained when the exhaust gas was refiltered. 6) Soot and dust contained in the heavy tar was removed from the exhaust gas by the cyclone and suction blower. The gas then passed through the blower in 5) and the condenser, and more tar was collected. 7) Since the gas percentage in the mass ratio was large, it was understood that the developed gas was enriched. This confirmed that the heat balance improved when the percentage of heat collected increased in comparison to the heat loss. 8) In up-flow type pyrolysis reactor mentioned above, the reaction inside the furnace was efficient. The practical use of the pyrolysis reactor was assessed and can now be promoted.

Key words: biomass, organic waste, pyrolysis reactor, up-flow type reactor, gas engine