Room: Poster Area
Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Time: 11:30 - 12:45 CEST
Session code 5BV.3
Modeling, fundamental and applied pyrolysis
Modelling and Design of a Solar Rotary Kiln for Biomass Pyrolysis
Short Introductive summary
Due to their feasibility for processing heterogeneous feedstocks, their continuous operation and their easy scalability, rotary kilns are used to carry out pyrolysis of biomass, waste products and other feedstocks. While conventional processes typically use directly fired rotary kilns, which are powered by fossil fuels or by the combustion of the pyrolysis gases released during processing, the inclusion of renewable energy sources has opened up opportunities for the use of other heating methods such as Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST). However, coupling CST to pyrolysis processes poses several challenges in terms of temperature distribution control, heat transfer dynamics and process stability. This study develops the design of an indirectly heated solar rotary kiln for carrying out a biomass pyrolysis process. First, a 1D model is developed that takes into account heat transfer and mass loss during the thermochemical process to obtain important dynamics on a reactor scale, such as the axial temperature gradients of solids and gases. In a second design phase, the strategy for integrating CST into the rotary kiln pyrolizer is analysed.
Presenter
Juan Pablo RINCON DUARTE
German Aerospace Center, DLR, Solar Thermochemical Processes Dpt., GERMANY
Presenter's biography
Mechanical engineer working in the field of renewable energy at DLR. I obtained my PhD from the RWTH University. My research focuses on the implementation of Concentrated Solar Thermal to decarbonise industrial processes, as well as the design of reactors for high-temperature processes.
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
M. Kirschmeier, German Aerospace Center, DLR, Cologne, GERMANY
A. P. Manjila, German Aerospace Center, DLR, Cologne, GERMANY
M. Pereira, German Aerospace Center, DLR, Cologne, GERMANY
C. Lorreyte, German Aerospace Center, DLR, Cologne, GERMANY
G. Moumin, German Aerospace Center, DLR, Cologne, GERMANY
M. Roeb, German Aerospace Center, DLR, Cologne, GERMANY
Session reference: 5BV.3.4