Simulation studies on microwave assisted pyrolysis of biomass for biofuel production

• Main Author: Mohd Arif Zafri Mohd Mokhtar
• Format: text::Final Year Project
• Language: English US
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Biodiesel fuels; Pyrolysis

Studies have been conducted on the development of Pyrolysis, a thermal conversion process of biomass under anoxic conditions to obtain bio-oil. Various efforts have been made to improve the pyrolysis process, namely microwave assisted pyrolysis due to its efficient heating of the biomass. The microwave heating of the biomass can be investigated by means of simulation work. In this thesis, a computer based simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics software was done to study the effects of different parameters on the distribution of heat inside the microwave system. The simulation work was done on differing parameters such as the position of the waveguide and the number of waveguides used. Based on these parameter changes, the effect towards the heating behaviour of the microwave system was analysed. The results of each simulation work are compared based on the temeperature of the biomass sample and the electromagnetic field distribution inside the microwave system. From the simulated models, the results were compared with studies conducted by other researchers.