Pyrolysis of waste palm oil and waste sunflower oil to produce bio-oils and biofuels

Crude and used sunflower oils and palm oils, supplied by potato chips industries, were converted by vacuum pyrolysis into solid, liquid and gaseous products. When pyrolysis was performed at 420 ºC during 30 min a yield of 20 % (w/w) of gas products was obtained. In the same conditions the liquid yield varied from 63.5 % (w/w) to 79.1 % (w/w) while the solid yield varied from 1.6 % (w/w) to 9.4 % (w/w). Liquid products contain 72-81 % (w/w) distillable liquids with boiling points lower than 150 ºC, and components with carbon numbers between C7 and C15. Gas and solid pyrolysis products may be used as fuels contributing to the process heat requirements.