CATALYZED PYROLYSIS OF GRAPE AND OLIVE BAGASSE - INFLUENCE OF CATALYST TYPE AND CHEMICAL TREATMENT

Catalyzed pyrolysis of grape and olive bagasse under different experim ental conditions has been studied. Variables investigated were tempera ture and type and concentration of catalysts. Experiments were carried out in an isothermal manner. Products of pyrolysis are gases (Hz, CO, CO2, and CH4), liquids (methanol, acetone, furfurylic alcohol, phenol , furfural, naphthalene, and o-cresol), and solids (chars). Temperatur e is a significant variable, yielding increases of fixed carbon conten t, gases, and to a lesser extent, ash percentage. Catalyst presence al so yields increases of solid phase content, but the amount of Liquid c omponents decrease. Among catalysts applied those of Fe and Zn are the most advisable to obtain gases. Chemical treatment of bagasses with s ulfuric or phosphoric acid washing leads to lower char yields, althoug h fixed carbon content is higher and ash presence diminishes with resp ect to catalyst pyrolysis without chemical pretreatment. A pyrolysis k inetic study based on gas generation from thermal decomposition of res idues has been carried out. From the model proposed, rate constants fo r the formation of each gas, reaction order of the catalyst, and activ ation energies were determined.