Abstract
South Africa, heavily reliant on coal, aims to reduce carbon emissions by transitioning to cleaner energy sources. One promising avenue is using pyrolysis on water hyacinth, an invasive species that threatens sustainability, to create a low-carbon economy. Traditional control methods for water hyacinths are costly and ineffective, prompting the search for alternative solutions. This study uses Response Surface Methodology to optimise pyrolysis parameters, precisely temperature and particle size, to enhance the yield of liquid fractions from water hyacinths. Experiments were carried out at temperatures ranging from 273.22 to 676.78 °C and particle sizes from 380 to 2620 µm, with a heating rate of 30 °C/min and a nitrogen flow rate of 25 l/min. Findings indicate that higher temperatures and larger particle sizes increase liquid yields while decreasing char production. The pyro-oil yield peaked at 48.45 wt.% at 575 °C, compared to 24.36 wt.% at 273.22 °C, before slightly declining at higher temperatures. Conversely, char production dropped from 58.21 wt.% at the lowest temperature to 33.84 wt.% at the highest tested temperature. The study suggests that valorising water hyacinths through optimised pyrolysis can yield significant socio-economic and environmental benefits. This approach, supported by sound policies and strategies, could facilitate the transition towards commercialising bio-oil production, contributing to sustainable energy solutions for South Africa.
Presenters
Obianuju Patience IloPostdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Gauteng, South Africa Mulala Danny Simatele
University of the Witwatersrand
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Sustainable Development for a Dynamic Planet: Lessons, Priorities, and Solutions
KEYWORDS
Biomass, Biorefinery, Climate change, Invasive plants, SDG
