Pyrolysis of waste oriental medicine byproduct obtained from the decoction process of achyranthes root

Thermal decomposition of waste Achyranthes Root (WAR) emitted from its decoction process was investigated using a TG analyzer and a fixed-bed reactor. The WAR had the larger C and fixed carbon content than fresh AR (FAR) due to the extraction of hemicelluloses from FAR during decoction process. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis results also revealed the elimination of hemicellulose by its decoction. Relatively high contents of the cellulose and lignin made high contents of their typical pyrolyzates, such as acids, ketones, furans, and phenols, in the pyrolysis of WAR using the fixed-bed reactor. The increase of pyrolysis temperature from 400 to 500 ℃ increased yields of oil and gas due to the more effective cracking efficiency of WAR at a higher temperature. The chemical composition of product oil was also changed by applying the higher pyrolysis temperature, which increased the selectivity to furans and phenols.