Pyrolysis as a technique for separating heavy metals from hyperaccumulators. Part III: pilot-scale pyrolysis of synthetic hyperaccumulator biomass

Synthetic hyperaccumulator biomass (SHB) feed impregnated with Ni, Zn or Cu was used to conduct six experiments in a pilot-scale, spouted bed gasifier. Two runs each using corn stover with no metal added (blank runs) were also conducted. The reactor was operated in an entrained mode in an oxygen free (N2) environment at 873 K and 1 atm. The apparent gas residence time in the heated zone of the pilot-scale reactor was 1.4 s at 873 K. The material balance closure for the eight experiments on an N2-free basis varied between 79% and 92%. Nearly 99% of the metal recovered in the product stream was concentrated in the char formed by pyrolyzing the SHB in the reactor. The metal concentration in the char varied between 6.6% and 16.6%, depending on the type of metal and whether the char was collected in the cyclone or ashbox. The metal component was concentrated by 3.2–6 times in the char, compared to the feed.