Research into the Pyrolysis of Pure Cellulose, Lignin, and Birch Wood Flour in the China Lake Entrained-Flow Reactor

Technical Report · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5141145· OSTI ID:5141145

Diebold, James

This experimental program used the China Lake entrained-flow pyrolysis reactor to briefly investigate the pyrolysis of pure cellulose, pure lignin, and birch wood flour. The study determined that the cellulose and wood flour do pyrolyze to produce primarily gaseous products containing significant amounts of ethylene and other useful hydrocarbons. During attempts to pyrolyze powdered lignin, the material melted and bubbled to block the reactor entrance. The pure cellulose and wood flour produced C/sub 2/ + yields of 12% to 14% by weight, which were less than yields from an organic feedstock derived from processed municipal trash. The char yields were 0.1% by weight from cellulose and 1.5% from birch wood flour - one to two orders of magnitude less than were produced from the trash-derived feedstock. In scanning electron microscope photographs, most of the wood flour char had a sintered and agglomerated appearance, although some particles retained the gross cell characteristics of the wood flour. The appearance of the char particles indicated that the material had once been molten and possibly vapor before it formed spheroidal particles about 1 ..mu..m diameter which agglomerated to form larger char particles. The ability to completely melt or vaporize lignocellulosic materials under conditions of high heating rates has now been demonstrated in a continuous flow reactor and promises new techniques for fast pyrolysis. This char was unexpectedly attracted by a magnet, presumably because of iron contamination from the pyrolysis reactor tube wall. The production of water-insoluble tars was negligible compared to the tars produced from trash-derived feedstock. The production of water-soluble organic materials was fairly low and qualitatively appeared to vary inversely with temperature. This study was of a preliminary nature and additional studies are necessary to optimize ethylene production from these feedstocks.

• Research Organization: Solar Energy Research Inst., Golden, CO (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 5141145
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-332-586
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122 -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
ALKENES
BIRCHES
CARBOHYDRATES
CELLULOSE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENTRAINMENT
ETHYLENE
FLOUR
FOOD
HYDROCARBONS
LIGNIN
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
SACCHARIDES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TREES
YIELDS
alkenes
biomass fuels
birches
carbohydrates
cellulose
chemical reactions
decomposition
entrainment
ethylene
flour
food
hydrocarbons
lignin
organic compounds
plants
polysaccharides
production
pyrolysis
pyrolysis products
yields