Abstract
Graphical abstract
Nomenclature
1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
3. Result and discussion
4. Conclusion
References
Abstract
This research focuses on the selection of the optimum process parameters for Aegel marmelos (AM) pyrolysis experiment based on multi-objective decision-making techniques. This investigation presents the optimization report for obtaining maximum pyrolysis oil from AM de-oiled seed cake through thermochemical conversion (pyrolysis) process. The pyrolysis process has been conducted according to L27 orthogonal array with chosen input control factors such as pyrolysis temperature (°C), heating rate (°C/min) and biomass particle size (mm). The output response parameters measured are the bio-oil yield, bio-char yield and biogas yield. The multi-objective decision-making approach namely Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and Grey relational analysis (GRA) techniques are employed to determine the optimum pyrolysis process parameters to maximize the yield of AM bio-oil. The optimized values of pyrolysis temperature (PT), heating rate (HR) and feedstock particle size (PS) are 600 °C, 10 °C/min and 0.6 mm. At peak engine loading condition, 20% AM bio-oil + 80% diesel fuel blend (AM20) emit lower carbon dioxide (CO2 = 8.68%) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx = 1401 ppm) emissions as compared with diesel (D) CO2 (10.33%) and NOx (1511 ppm) emissions. The association between exhaust gas temperature and NOx emission was inferred using a novel approach of thermal imager by sensing the infrared rays from the hot surface of the exhaust port. Infrared thermal images are captured during the engine operations fuelled with bio-oil at the optimum pyrolysis conditions concluded by TOPSIS and GRA results (PT = 600 °C, HR = 10 °C/min and PS = 0.6 mm). According to the thermal imaging result, AM20 blend produces the lower amount of NOx emissions compared with neat diesel and it is suggested that AM bio-oil can be used as engine fuel instead in order to preserve the eco-system stability and biodiversity.
Introduction
Fossil fuels play a vital role in the transportation sector but emit harmful gases like carbon mono oxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and sulphur content gases etc. which in turn augments the global temperature. The Shortage of fossil fuel resources and its related environmental problems grasped great attention towards bio-fuel research (Bordoloi et al., 2016). Biofuel usage decreases the global warming rate by adopting the closed carbon cycle thereby reducing greenhouse emissions (D’Alessandro et al., 2016; Mi et al., 2016). Foremost benefits of biofuels are eco-friendliness, renewability and bio-degradability (Knothe et al., 2006). Biochemical and thermochemical conversion technologies are commonly used to convert the biomass into solid (bio-char), liquid (bio-oil) and gas (biogas) products. As compared to biochemical routes, thermochemical conversion possesses more advantages in terms of time consumption and decomposing C5 sugars (Bordoloi et al., 2016). Pyrolysis is one of the most capable techniques among the available biomass conversion methods (Halim and Swithenbank, 2016). In the pyrolysis process, biomass is heated in the absence of oxygen atmosphere to derive useful products like bio-oil, biochar and biogas (Abas et al., 2018). The notable advantages of pyrolysis products are that they are eco-friendly, reusable and valorised into fuels and chemicals (Halim and Swithenbank, 2016).