parabolic dish solar pyrolysis for bio-oil production: performance and energy analysis

This study focuses on designing a parabolic solar pyrolysis reactor and investigating the effects of pyrolysis temperature and coconut shell particle size on the yield. it also aims to develop a mathematical model to understand the factors influencing pyrolysis and evaluate the energy aspects of solar pyrolysis. the reactor operates at temperatures between 300 °c and 650 °c, with variables like wind speed, light intensity, parabolic size, and material types affecting its performance. the process is also influenced by moisture content, reactor type, heating rate, residence time, and pyrolysis temperature. the study finds that particle size and temperature are crucial in determining the yield. it shows that specific combinations of these factors have a significant influence, with the f-calculated value being more significant at the 5% level than at the 1% level. optimal results are observed at temperatures ranging from 500 °c to 600 °c. for instance, a 3 mm particle size at 300 °c yields 26.83%, increasing to 37.67% at 600 °c, indicating that smaller material sizes and higher temperatures enhance yields. the energy analysis reveals that the coconut shell receives between 136.29 to 454.89 w of heat, while the energy lost during pyrolysis ranges from 728.46 to 1778.976 w. the output heat energy spans from 864.75 to 2233.87 w, with energy efficiency varying from 16.35% to 30.41%. a heat balance is established using optics and thermodynamics principles, offering insights into the energy efficiency of solar pyrolysis.