Work

Numerical simulation and optimization of biomass pyrolysis in spouted bed reactors: a case study with sugarcane bagasse

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The increasing demand for renewable energy has driven Brazil to expand its production from biomass sources, with pyrolysis emerging as a key technology. Despite advances, the detailed understanding of particle flow, heat, and mass transfer during biomass pyrolysis remains limited. This study investigates the influence of operational parameters on the pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse in a spouted bed reactor through numerical modeling. A CFD model based on the Eulerian-Lagrangian approach was developed and implemented in OpenFOAM. Single-particle pyrolysis and inert bed simulations were performed to validate the model against experimental data from the literature. Subsequently, a 2 K factorial design was employed to assess the effects of temperature, gas velocity, and particle diameter. Results revealed that temperature and particle size strongly affect pyrolysis kinetics, with the optimized condition (873 K, 142 m/s, particle diameter of 1.0 × 10⁻³ m) achieving a conversion efficiency of 71.56%. This work provides insights for the optimization of spouted bed reactors for efficient biomass pyrolysis.

Source: Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering

DOI: 10.1007/s43153-026-00722-z

Authors: Alysson Dantas Ferreira, Jéssica Barbosa da Silva do Nascimento, Severino Rodrigues de Farias Neto

Institutions: Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz

Language: English

Topic: Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,990