This study presents an international collaboration between the University of New Haven (USA) and MKSSS's Cummins College of Engineering for Women (India) focused on the conversion of household kitchen waste into valuable products through small-scale pyrolysis. The research emphasizes biochar production, with bio-oil and syngas generated as secondary products. A pilot-scale system with a 10 kg feed capacity is being designed as a precursor to a larger 100 kg reactor, allowing for testing, process optimization, and validation of simulated yields. Waste feedstock will be subjected to thermal decomposition at up to 650 °C, with condensers used to cool and separate the bio-oil and syngas streams, while the remaining biochar will be collected post-reaction. System simulations were conducted in Microsoft Excel to evaluate thermal performance, energy requirements, and product distribution under varying conditions of feedstock moisture, temperature, and residence times. Results highlight that moisture content is the dominant factor influencing energy demand, with drying accounting for over half of the total energy use in high-moisture samples. The most energy-efficient configuration- achieved with a feed moisture content of 5% and a 60-minute run- yielded a Q value of 22.2 kW and favored maximum biochar recovery. Specific heat capacities were determined for each product, with values of 11.93 J/g*K for bio-oil, 8.77 J/g*K for biochar, and 17.08 J/g*K for syngas, providing critical insights into the system's thermal behavior. Additionally, thermal management strategies were assessed, including cooling requirements for product streams, where 20 gallons of water at 25 °C were sufficient to cool vapors from 600 °C to 60 °C. Collectively, this work demonstrates the feasibility of a sustainable, small-scale pyrolysis pathway that efficiently converts household waste into energy-rich byproducts, while prioritizing biochar production for soil improvement applications.
