Home / Current Issue / Paper 1722194
Effects of Temperature and Feedstock Blending Ratios on the Yield and Energy Content of Diesel Produced by Co-pyrolysis of Sawdust and Waste Plastics
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Chemical Engineering
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722194
Abstract
Temperature and feedstock blending ratio are among the most influential operating parameters affecting the yield and quality of liquid fuels produced through co-pyrolysis. This study investigated the effects of reaction temperature and feedstock blending ratios on the liquid oil yield and calorific value of diesel-grade fuel produced from the co-pyrolysis of hardwood sawdust, softwood sawdust and waste plastics. Co-pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a laboratory-scale fixed-bed batch reactor using a Design-Expert Version 13 experimental design comprising twenty-eight experimental runs. Reaction temperature and feedstock blending ratio were selected as the independent variables, while liquid oil yield and calorific value were considered as the response variables. The experimental data were analysed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of the process variables and to determine the optimum operating conditions. The results showed that both temperature and feedstock blending ratio significantly influenced liquid oil yield and fuel energy content. Increasing the reaction temperature improved thermal decomposition and volatile release, resulting in increased liquid oil production up to the optimum operating condition. The highest liquid oil yield of 72 wt.% was obtained at 800 °C using an equal feedstock blending ratio (1:1:1) of hardwood sawdust, softwood sawdust and waste plastics. The response surface models adequately predicted the experimental responses and demonstrated good agreement between the predicted and experimental values. Statistical analysis confirmed that the developed models were significant and suitable for optimisation of the co-pyrolysis process. The study demonstrates that appropriate control of reaction temperature and feedstock blending ratio substantially enhances both product yield and energy content, providing an effective approach for producing high-quality diesel-grade fuel from biomass and plastic wastes.
Keywords
Co-Pyrolysis, Sawdust, Waste Plastics, Reaction Temperature, Liquid Oil Yield.
References
[1] A. Vijayakumar and J. Sebastian, “Pyrolysis process to produce fuel from different types of plastic – A review,” IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 396, no. 1, Art. no. 012062, 2018, doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/396/1/012062.
[2] D. V. Suriapparao and R. Tejasvi, “A review on role of process parameters on pyrolysis of biomass and plastics: Present scope and future opportunities in conventional and microwave-assisted pyrolysis technologies,” Process Safety and Environmental Protection, vol. 162, pp. 435–462, Jun. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.psep.2022.04.024.
[3] A. H. Zulkafli, H. Hassan, M. A. Ahmad, A. T. M. Din, and S. M. Wasli, “Co-pyrolysis of biomass and waste plastics for production of chemicals and liquid fuel: A review on the role of plastics and catalyst types,” Arabian Journal of Chemistry, vol. 15, no. 10, Art. no. 104389, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.104389.
[4] P. Das and P. Tiwari, “The effect of slow pyrolysis on the conversion of packaging waste plastics (PE and PP) into fuel,” Waste Management, vol. 79, pp. 615–624, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2018.08.021.
[5] P. Das and P. Tiwari, “Valorization of packaging plastic waste by slow pyrolysis,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 128, pp. 69–77, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.025.
[6] N. Wang and M. Azam, [Complete publication details should be verified against the thesis reference list before submission.] The thesis cites this as a 2024 source supporting the study background, but the specific publication could not be uniquely identified from public databases.
[7] ASTM International, ASTM D5865-20: Standard Test Method for Gross Calorific Value of Coal and Coke, West Conshohocken, PA, USA: ASTM International, 2020.
How to cite this paper
@article{1722194,
author = {Felix Omokheobe Esemuze, Ipeghan Jonathan Otaraku, Akuma Oji},
title = {Effects of Temperature and Feedstock Blending Ratios on the Yield and Energy Content of Diesel Produced by Co-pyrolysis of Sawdust and Waste Plastics},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {2},
pages = {789-792},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722194.pdf},
abstract = {Temperature and feedstock blending ratio are among the most influential operating parameters affecting the yield and quality of liquid fuels produced through co-pyrolysis. This study investigated the effects of reaction temperature and feedstock blending ratios on the liquid oil yield and calorific value of diesel-grade fuel produced from the co-pyrolysis of hardwood sawdust, softwood sawdust and waste plastics. Co-pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a laboratory-scale fixed-bed batch reactor using a Design-Expert Version 13 experimental design comprising twenty-eight experimental runs. Reaction temperature and feedstock blending ratio were selected as the independent variables, while liquid oil yield and calorific value were considered as the response variables. The experimental data were analysed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of the process variables and to determine the optimum operating conditions. The results showed that both temperature and feedstock blending ratio significantly influenced liquid oil yield and fuel energy content. Increasing the reaction temperature improved thermal decomposition and volatile release, resulting in increased liquid oil production up to the optimum operating condition. The highest liquid oil yield of 72 wt.% was obtained at 800 °C using an equal feedstock blending ratio (1:1:1) of hardwood sawdust, softwood sawdust and waste plastics. The response surface models adequately predicted the experimental responses and demonstrated good agreement between the predicted and experimental values. Statistical analysis confirmed that the developed models were significant and suitable for optimisation of the co-pyrolysis process. The study demonstrates that appropriate control of reaction temperature and feedstock blending ratio substantially enhances both product yield and energy content, providing an effective approach for producing high-quality diesel-grade fuel from biomass and plastic wastes.},
keywords = {Co-Pyrolysis, Sawdust, Waste Plastics, Reaction Temperature, Liquid Oil Yield.},
month = {August},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I2-1722194}
}