A biomass pyrolysis model for CFD application

The CFD modeling of biomass combustion or gasification systems needs a description of the volatiles composition that is formed during devolatilization and char oxidation processes. The present model can be used as a submodel in the CFD modeling of combustion or gasification process. This study is a combination of relevant models and data available in the literature to formulate a model that predicts the volatiles in terms of a few simple species. The volatile species considered by this model are CO, CO₂, H₂O, H₂, light hydrocarbons, and heavy hydrocarbons. The model predicts the volatiles as a function of temperature for different biomasses. The model was applied for pyrolysis of briquettes made from agricultural residues. The results are in good agreement with data from literature.