Co-pyrolysis of oily sludge and rice husk for improving pyrolysis oil quality

Co-pyrolysis of oily sludge and rice husk was conducted in a fixed-bed reactor to investigate the effects of interactions on the products and improve the quality of the pyrolysis oil. The synergy can be attributed to the catalytic effects of ash and alkali metals derived from biomass. SARA results showed that synergy enhanced the quality of oil product by promoting the content of saturates and aromatics and reducing heavy fractions. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry results showed that the interaction increased the concentration of chain hydrocarbons and significantly reduced the content of oxygenated compounds by 46–93%. The gas yield was improved due to the promotion of secondary reactions and more H2, CO and C1–C2 hydrocarbons were generated. Additionally, though the emission of H2S was restrained, the distribution of sulfur in oil and gas phases was promoted.