Validation of a predictive model applied to biomass using pyrolysis laboratory experimental results of agricultural residues.

Pyrolysis is the initial step in most of the biomass thermal conversion processes, and the most depending on the properties of biomass. In the current study, three agricultural residues: olive tree prunnings, rapeseed residues and soya residues have been pyrolyzed and gasified in a captive sample and a fixed bed reactor, respectively. Yields and heating values of the gaseous and solid products were estimated. The experimental results were further compared with the results from a predictive model based in the proximate analysis estimated from the raw materials thermogravimetric and ultimate analysis. The comparison between the pyrolysis results and the predictions from the model showed to have deviations ranged between almost zero to 17%. The higher deviations appeared in the amount of heating values of the char. For the gasification results, on the other hand, the model is only be used for predictions in the energetic value the gas produced due to the differences in the assumptions taken respectively in the experimental procedure and the model.