Development of a reference one-dimensional pyrolysis experiment

The comparison of the results of two scientific communities working on pyrolysis but in different application areas, i.e. biomass conversion and protective heat shields, is envisaged. For this purpose, a pyrolysis test bench is set up for a comparative thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiment. Measurements of temperature distribution and mass loss are carried out on large cylindrical samples of Beech wood during slow pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere from ambiant temperature to 650 [°C] at a heating rate of 40 [°C/min]. The pyrolysis proceeds from the bottom to the top of the cylinder and is considered to be one-dimensional. Devolatilization does not compare well to models and increases towards the end of the mass loss, due to the splitting of the sample. There is a problem with the design of the heat source which compromises the quality of the experimental results.