Pyrolysis of cashew nut shell: A parametric study

Cashew nut shell, a waste from cashew nut production, could become a potential biomass feedstock for gasification. In this study, a complete parametric study of cashew nut shell was conducted in pyrolysis conditions that are relevant to industrial processes. The effects of temperature, heating rate and residence time on the shrinkage, char yield, char energy, as well as characteristics of cashew nut shell (ash content, volatile matter, fixed carbon content, and heating value) have been deeply investigated. The study results suggest ideas for the development of advanced pyrolysis techniques to better control the char product characteristics, hence serving for multiple purposes, such as energy or activated carbon production.