Pyrolysis is generally a simple, low-cost technology that can convert a variety of feedstock into energy. The process begins by feeding any material containing carbon to a reactor. Since there is an abundance of materials with high-carbon content in waste and recycling streams, it can be an effective method for biofuel production and landfill reduction.
The effectiveness of this process to create biofuels is surprising to many, since most people think that heating fuel to vapor is the same as burning it. Chemistry class in school teaches the difference between a physical change and a chemical change. A chemical change takes place when fuel combusts. In the case of pyrolysis, a physical change occurs by absorbing heat, like water when it becomes steam. When steam is collected and cooled, water is formed again. During this reaction, the reactor uses heat to vaporize the hydrocarbon chains and any other compounds as the temperature passes the boiling point of each individual compound. Feedstock is usually pre-shredded so that vapors can easily escape. The vapors are collected and condensed which creates liquid fuel. A second byproduct of pyrolysis is the carbon compounds remaining in the feed that comes out of the reactor as char, also known as biochar. Biochar can be used as fertilizer or compressed into charcoal briquettes.
If certain types of waste are diverted away from landfills and used for energy, the footprint of landfills could be dramatically decreased. While landfills are necessary, and biomethane can be extracted from them to create energy as well, materials like rubber tires take up a lot of space and could be converted to biofuel through pyrolysis.
As the population continues to grow, it becomes increasingly urgent to produce more energy and slow the growth of landfills. Although biofuels from pyrolysis are still considered to be in the beginning stages, it has the potential to be a very important development in alternative and renewable fuels.
Matt Hoffman is the director of business development at V Core. V CORE is a renewable energy company that specializes in the process of converting Waste to Energy and implementing Power Generation Systems for entities with high energy demands. This blog entry was originally published at the V Core company blog.
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