Biofuels production through biomass pyrolysis - a technological review.
TL;DR: More than two hundred publications have been reviewed, discussed and summarized, with the emphasis being placed on the current status of pyrolysis technology and its potential for commercial applications for bio-fuel production as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: There has been an enormous amount of research in recent years in the area of thermo-chemical conversion of biomass into bio-fuels (bio-oil, bio-char and bio-gas) through pyrolysis technology due to its several socio-economic advantages as well as the fact it is an efficient conversion method compared to other thermo-chemical conversion technologies. However, this technology is not yet fully developed with respect to its commercial applications. In this study, more than two hundred publications are reviewed, discussed and summarized, with the emphasis being placed on the current status of pyrolysis technology and its potential for commercial applications for bio-fuel production. Aspects of pyrolysis technology such as pyrolysis principles, biomass sources and characteristics, types of pyrolysis, pyrolysis reactor design, pyrolysis products and their characteristics and economics of bio-fuel production are presented. It is found from this study that conversion of biomass to bio-fuel has to overcome challenges such as understanding the trade-off between the size of the pyrolysis plant and feedstock, improvement of the reliability of pyrolysis reactors and processes to become viable for commercial applications. Further study is required to achieve a better understanding of the economics of biomass pyrolysis for bio-fuel production, as well as resolving issues related to the capabilities of this technology in practical application.
Citations
More filters
TL;DR: In this paper, a general summary of the properties of pyrolytic products and their analysis methods is given, as well as a review of the parameters that affect the process and a summary of current state of the art.
Abstract: Pyrolysis is one of the thermochemical technologies for converting biomass into energy and chemical products consisting of liquid bio-oil, solid biochar, and pyrolytic gas. Depending on the heating rate and residence time, biomass pyrolysis can be divided into three main categories slow (conventional), fast and flash pyrolysis mainly aiming at maximising either the bio-oil or biochar yields. Synthesis gas or hydrogen-rich gas can also be the target of biomass pyrolysis. Maximised gas rates can be achieved through the catalytic pyrolysis process, which is now increasingly being developed. Biomass pyrolysis generally follows a three-step mechanism comprising of dehydration, primary and secondary reactions. Dehydrogenation, depolymerisation, and fragmentation are the main competitive reactions during the primary decomposition of biomass. A number of parameters affect the biomass pyrolysis process, yields and properties of products. These include the biomass type, biomass pretreatment (physical, chemical, and biological), reaction atmosphere, temperature, heating rate and vapour residence time. This manuscript gives a general summary of the properties of the pyrolytic products and their analysis methods. Also provided are a review of the parameters that affect biomass pyrolysis and a summary of the state of industrial pyrolysis technologies.
1,379 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding the effect of feedstock and pretreatments on the yield, product distribution, and upgradability of bio-oil.
494 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a microwave pyrolysis of biomass is proposed to produce activated biochar with desirable properties for wide application in pollution control, catalysis and energy storage, and the key implications for future development are highlighted.
433 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of catalytic pyrolysis of lignocellulose biomass to renewable fuel grade bio-oil and chemicals is presented, along with catalysts type and their catalytic activities in the production of renewable biooil and bio-chemicals.
Abstract: Pyrolysis converts lignocellulosic biomass to bio-oil that can be a precursor to fuel and chemicals for industries. The bio-oil contains high oxygenates fractions that deteriorate the bio-oil fuel properties. Catalysts acted to upgrade the bio-oil through selected bond cleavage reactions such as deoxygenation, cracking, decarbonylation and others reactions. Bulk and supported acid or base catalysts in biomass pyrolysis tailored the production of high-grade bio-oil. The catalytic biomass pyrolysis is an approach that is reliable for producing quality renewable fuel and chemical precursors. This paper elucidated recent studies on catalytic pyrolysis of lignocellulose biomass to renewable fuel grade bio-oil and chemicals. The review discussed the various principal activities on biomass characteristics and their potentials in pyrolysis process to produce the high-grade biofuel precursor. The possible processes used in perpetuating the pyrolysis devolatilisation of biomass are also appraised along with catalysts type, and their catalytic activities in the production of renewable bio-oil and bio-chemicals. Therefore, catalyst development for the upgrade of bio-oils from pyrolysis of biomass to renewable fuel and chemicals precursor remains a topical issue.
385 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review of various pyrolysis process, especially focusing on the effects of essential parameters, the process design, the reactors and the catalysts on the process, is presented.
368 citations
References
More filters
TL;DR: In this article, the pyrolysis characteristics of three main components (hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin) of biomass were investigated using, respectively, a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) detector and a pack bed.
5,859 citations
"Biofuels production through biomass..." refers background in this paper
...Lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose content of selected biomass [52–57]....
[...]
TL;DR: A review of the recent developments in the wood pyrolysis and reports the characteristics of the resulting bio-oils, which are the main products of fast wood pyrotechnics, can be found in this paper.
Abstract: Fast pyrolysis utilizes biomass to produce a product that is used both as an energy source and a feedstock for chemical production. Considerable efforts have been made to convert wood biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals since the oil crisis in mid-1970s. This review focuses on the recent developments in the wood pyrolysis and reports the characteristics of the resulting bio-oils, which are the main products of fast wood pyrolysis. Virtually any form of biomass can be considered for fast pyrolysis. Most work has been performed on wood, because of its consistency and comparability between tests. However, nearly 100 types of biomass have been tested, ranging from agricultural wastes such as straw, olive pits, and nut shells to energy crops such as miscanthus and sorghum. Forestry wastes such as bark and thinnings and other solid wastes, including sewage sludge and leather wastes, have also been studied. In this review, the main (although not exclusive) emphasis has been given to wood. The literature on woo...
4,988 citations
"Biofuels production through biomass..." refers background or methods in this paper
...Quenching of the vapours is usually done with pyrolysis liquid condensers, where the vapours are cooled directly with the bio-oil or a hydrocarbon liquid [16,97,98]....
[...]
...Pyrolysis has also been used to produce tar for caulking boats and certain embalming agents in ancient Egyptian [16]....
[...]
...In this design the vapour residence time can be modified by changing the heated zone through which vapour passes prior to entering the condenser train [16]....
[...]
TL;DR: The potential of a restored landfill site to act as a biomass source, providing fuel to supplement landfill gas-fuelled power stations, is examined, together with a comparison of the economics of power production from purpose-grown biomass versus waste-biomass.
4,162 citations
Additional excerpts
...Physical properties of selected biomass feedstock [45,48,54,55,65,66]....
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, an updated review on fast pyrolysis of biomass for production of a liquid usually referred to as bio-oil is provided, including the major reaction systems.
Abstract: This paper provides an updated review on fast pyrolysis of biomass for production of a liquid usually referred to as bio-oil. The technology of fast pyrolysis is described including the major reaction systems. The primary liquid product is characterised by reference to the many properties that impact on its use. These properties have caused increasingly extensive research to be undertaken to address properties that need modification and this area is reviewed in terms of physical, catalytic and chemical upgrading. Of particular note is the increasing diversity of methods and catalysts and particularly the complexity and sophistication of multi-functional catalyst systems. It is also important to see more companies involved in this technology area and increased take-up of evolving upgrading processes. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
3,727 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review of the production, characterization and current statuses of vegetable oil and biodiesel as well as the experimental research work carried out in various countries is presented.
2,891 citations
Additional excerpts
...lubricating oil due to polymerisation [120–122]....
[...]