Production and characterization of bio-oil from catalytic biomass pyrolysis

Biomass flash pyrolysis is a very promising thermochemical process for the production of bio-fuels and/or chemicals. However, large-scale applications are still under careful consideration, because of the high bio-liquid upgrading cost. In this paper the production of bio-liquids from biomass flash pyrolysis in a single stage catalytic process is being investigated using a novel once through fluid bed reactor. This biomass pyrolysis unit was constructed in Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute and comprises of a catalyst regenerator, a biomass-vibrating hopper, a fluidization reactor (that consists of an injector and a riser reactor), a product stripper along with a hot cyclone and a filter housing and finally a product condensation/recovery section. The unit can process up to 20 g/min. of biomass (50-800 mm) and can circulate up to 300 g/min. of catalyst or inert material. The experiments performed in the pilot plant showed that the unit operates without problems and with satisfactory mass balances in a wide range of experimental conditions both in the absence and presence of catalyst. With the incorporation of an FCC catalyst in the pyrolysis, the physical properties of the bio-oil produced changed, while more stable bio-oil was produced.

PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERISATION OF BIO-OIL FROM CATALYTIC BIOMASS PYROLYSIS by

Bio mass flash py rol y sis is a very prom is ing thermochemical pro cess for the pro duc tion of bio-fu els and/or chem i cals. How ever, large-scale ap pli ca-tions are still un der care ful con sid er ation, be cause of the high bio-liq uid up grad ing cost. In this pa per the pro duc tion of bio-liq uids from bio mass flash py rol y sis in a sin gle stage cat a lytic pro cess is be ing in ves ti gated us ing a novel once through fluid bed re ac tor. This bio mass py rol y sis unit was con-structed in Chem i cal Pro cess En gi neer ing Re search In sti tute and com-prises of a cat a lyst re gen er a tor, a bio mass-vi brat ing hop per, a fluidization re ac tor (that con sists of an in jec tor and a riser re ac tor), a prod uct strip per along with a hot cy clone and a fil ter hous ing and fi nally a prod uct con den-sa tion/re cov ery sec tion. The unit can pro cess up to 20 g/min. of bio mass (50-800 mm) and can cir cu late up to 300 g/min. of cat a lyst or in ert ma te rial. The ex per i ments per formed in the pi lot plant showed that the unit op er ates with out prob lems and with sat is fac tory mass bal ances in a wide range of ex-per i men tal con di tions both in the ab sence and pres ence of cat a lyst. With the in cor po ra tion of an FCC cat a lyst in the py rol y sis, the phys i cal prop er ties of the bio-oil pro duced changed, while more sta ble bio-oil was pro duced. Key words: biomass, catalytic pyrolysis, bio-oil characterisatio