Catalyst and feedstock effects in the thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels
The thermochemical conversion of biomass feedstocks to liquid transportation fuels can be accomplished by three processes, namely gasification, high-pressure liquefaction, and pyrolysis. In this study, the pyrolysis option is selected which is followed by the catalytic upgrading of pyrolysis vapors to aromatic and olefinic hydrocarbons (PYROCAT process). The aromatics constitute a high-octane gasoline blend, while the olefins can be utilized as feedstocks for various chemicals. The PYROCAT process has been studied in a laboratory-scale fixed-bed catalytic reactor. Consecutive biomass samples were pyrolyzed rapidly in steam at 550{degree}C and atmospheric pressure, and then the pyrolysis vapors were passed over a zeolite catalyst. The catalytic upgrading products were monitored in real-time using molecular-beam mass-spectrometry (MBMS). The yields of major products were estimated from mass-spectral data. Several zeolite catalysts were screened in the upgrading process and promising catalysts with high yields were identified. Feedstocks studied included: the woody biomass species aspen (Populus tremuloides), basswood (Tilia americana), and willow (Salix alba); the three isolated components of wood lignin, xylan and cellulose; and the herbaceous species bagasse (Saccharum spp. hybrid), wheat straw (Triticum aestivum), and Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata). 17 refs.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 5305775
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-431-4831; CONF-920678-7; ON: DE92010569
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: National solar energy conference, Cocoa Beach, FL (United States), 13-18 Jun 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ALKENES
PRODUCTION
AROMATICS
BIOMASS
PYROLYSIS
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
BENZENE
BUTENES
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC CRACKING
CRESOLS
ETHYLENE
HEXENES
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
NAPHTHALENE
PENTENES
PHENOL
PROPYLENE
STYRENE
TOLUENE
XYLENES
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
CRACKING
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHENOLS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
090900* - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)
330800 - Emission Control- Alternative Fuels
400800 - Combustion
Pyrolysis
& High-Temperature Chemistry