A DEM approach for modeling biomass fast pyrolysis in a double auger reactor

Thermochemical conversion of biomass via fast pyrolysis process is a promising way to produce renewable fuels and chemicals. In this paper, an extended discrete element method (DEM)
is developed to predict the biomass fast pyrolysis process in a double auger reactor, which is described as a reacting granular flow. The thermodynamic state of each particle is properly predicted with an addition of a heat transfer model and a reaction model on top of the traditional DEM method. The results suggest that the predictions of the thermochemical decomposition kinetics of biomass components are consistent with the experimental observations. The results also indicate that the fast pyrolysis in the reactor is controlled by the heat transfer process. Any operating condition variation in favor of enhancing heat transfer is beneficial to the fast pyrolysis process and vice versa.