Fast pyrolysis corn husk for bio-oil production

Abstract

The fast pyrolysis of corn husk was studied by using a tube pyrolysis unit. This research aimed to produce bio-oil from corn husk through a fast pyrolysis process. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition process of biomass at high temperatures with the absence of oxygen. The products in pyrolysis combustion are solids (bio-char), liquids (bio-oil), and gases. The major factors to get excellent products of pyrolysis are temperature and time. The corn husk was dried at 105 °C in the oven to reduce water content. The dried sample was burned at temperatures of 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, and 500 °C by flushing the nitrogen gas inside the tube for two h. The highest yield of bio-oil was reached of 33.3% at a temperature of 400 °C. Bio-oil characteristics such as density (1.007 gr/ml) and viscosity (0.9625 cSt) were observed. The composition of bio-oil was identified using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. Its composition was composed of hydrocarbons such as acids, furfural, phenols, and ketones.