Influence of pyrolysis process on the production of bio-oil used as alternative green energy from Pistacia lentiscus L.

In the sector of industry, there are quite a few energy production processes but pyrolysis remains the simplest one owing to its proprieties in reducing gases that contribute to atmospheric pollution. The pyrolysis of Pistacia lentiscus L seeds was studied in pyrolysis reactors operating between 300 and 550 °C, the speed rates ranging from 5° to 30°C min−1 and grain size varies between 75 µm and 1200 µm. The thermal analysis (GTA and DTA) of the seeds indicates the presence of two peaks corresponding to important chemical transformations at 360 °C and 475 °C. The physicochemical analysis of the seeds bio-oil indicates a density of 887.6 mg cm−3, a dynamic viscosity equals 3.868 mPa.s and a kinematic viscosity equals 4.298 mm2 s−1. The elemental analysis shows that the seeds bio-oil, which has a big percentage of carbon and oxygen, shows a total absence of sulfur. The utmost yield of bio-oil of 63.86% was obtained at an optimum pyrolysis temperature of 475 °C, at a heating rate of 25 °C min−1 and therefore the calorific value of the bio-oil was 38.69 MJ kg−1. The FTIR-ATR is used for identifying the functional groups present in the bio-oil. Various compounds present in the bio-oil were identified by gas chromatography using GC-MS. The 96.28% of organic compounds are fatty acids, linear and branched alkanes with 2%, and the rest is distributed between amines and alcohols, ketones, and ethers. Therefore, bio-oil can be a source of biofuel or a source of compounds for pharmaceutical and cosmetic uses.