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, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 10148635
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-431-4831; CONF-920678-7; ON: DE92010569
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SOLAR `92: American Solar Energy Society (ASES) annual conference,Cocoa Beach, FL (United States),15-18 Jun 1992; Other Information: PBD: May 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
BIOMASS
PYROLYSIS
AROMATICS
PRODUCTION
ALKENES
ETHYLENE
PROPYLENE
BUTENES
PENTENES
HEXENES
BENZENE
TOLUENE
XYLENES
PHENOL
CRESOLS
STYRENE
NAPHTHALENE
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
LIQUID FUELS
MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC CRACKING
090900
330800
400800
PROCESSING
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
COMBUSTION, PYROLYSIS, AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE CHEMISTRY