Biofuel Production From Pyrolysis of Cocoa Pod Husk

Abstract

This research focused on the pyrolysis of cocoa pod husk (CPH) for biofuel production. 220 g of the dried sample of CPH with a moisture content of 10.06% was introduced into the retort and coupled. The retort was then introduced into the preheated furnace and the sample was pyrolyzed at a o temperature of 300⁰C for 20 minutes. The condensate receiver was placed inside an ice bath containing the mixture of ice and water for quick recovery of liquid product. The process was repeated for pyrolyzing temperatures of 350, 400, 450 and 500⁰C. The pyrolysis products obtained were char, tar (pyro oil and pyroligneous acid) and gas. The highest conversion yields expressed as percentage weight of oven-dried CPH at their respective pyrolyzing  temperatures were 58.29 wt% char at 300⁰C, 10.10 wt% tar at 450⁰C, and  68.54 wt% at 500⁰C