ENERGY AND MASS BALANCE IN THE PYROLYSIS PROCESS OF Eucalyptus WOOD

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the moisture content in the mass and energy balance of Eucalyptus wood during the pyrolysis process in a macro-lab scale. Two cylindrical specimens of 30 cm length, 12 cm diameter, and two pre-established moisture contents of 0.83% and 13%, were evaluated. The experiment was carried out in an electric oven, heating rate of 5oC.min-1 and final temperature of 500oC were the process conditions. Mass and energetic potentials of the non-condensable gases flow, were estimated from the data provided by the software Macro Thermogravimetric. The moisture content did not influence significantly in charcoal yields (30.2 e 30.4%). The highest energetic value of the non-condensable gases (2.549 MJ) during wood pyrolysis at 0.83% moisture content, was achieve. Water presence on wood decrease the concentration of the energetic compounds. The total energy concentrated in the charcoal and sub-products was 53% and 47%, respectively. The significant amount of sub-products suggests to consider the mass balance and flow energy compounds in further researches for integration and optimization technologies in both, production and gas burning processes, aiming to generate new industrial mechanisms to improve yield and quality of the products.