Investigation of the production of pyrolytic bio-oil from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in a fixed bed reactor using pyrolysis process

An investigation on the effect of pyrolysis parameters on the yield of pyrolytic bio-oil in the thermal degradation of water hyacinth was studied in a fixed bed reactor. The study revealed that maximum bio-oil yield of 44.5 wt % was realized at a reactor temperature, biomass particle size and nitrogen gas flow rate of 450 degrees C, 0.6 mm and 100 cm(3)/min, respectively. GC-MS analysis of the bio-oil detected phenols, alcohols, carboxylic acids, ketones, alkenes, alkanes, aldehydes and aromatics, which envisages that pyrolysis of water hyacinth could be a viable route for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals; and solve the problems of its invasions in our inland fresh water ways.