Pyrolysis of meat-meal and bone-meal blends in a mechanically fluidized reactor

Nowadays, meat and bone meal produced in animal slaughterhouses and farms has become an important waste. Landfilling this residue means that its energy is lost. The pyrolysis of meat and bone meal produces a solid fraction which can be used as a fuel or as solid adsorbent, a liquid fraction with possible chemical applications and a low heating value gas.In this work, meat and bone meal has been pyrolyzed with a new technology, a mechanically fluidized reactor (MFR). This MFR is a stainless steel cylinder with 7.7 cm i.d., and an internal height of 15.6 cm. The meat and bone meal pyrolysis was carried out at 500 °C of temperature. The effect of several factors (mixer speed, heating rate and feed composition) on the product yields, bio-oil phases yield, bio-oil heating value and char heating value was studied. The amount of pure meat meal in the feed had a strong impact on product yields and compositions. The liquid yield, which has two phases, varies from 22 wt% to 52 wt% when the raw material fed changed from pure bone meal to pure meat meal.