Design, fabrication and operation of continuous microwave biomass carbonization system

Abstract

This paper presents a new design and the fabrication of biomass carbonization system using microwave heating. The heating system employs multi-feed microwave generators with 8.5kW maximum power and 2.458GHz frequency for uniform heating distribution in a 0.847m3 cylindrical low cement castable reactor. The experiment entails the carbonization of 58,800kg of coconut shell for 7 days. Afterward, the charcoal and wood vinegar yields are analyzed; meanwhile, uncondensed gases are treated to fuel the engine-generator system. The results show that the proposed approach greatly saves the production time of charcoal yields and allows ease of temperature control. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.