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Title: Flash pyrolysis of biomass with reactive and non-reactive gases. Summary report, March 1982-March 1983

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6459953

The process chemistry of the flash pyrolysis of biomass (wood) with the reactive gases, H/sub 2/ and CH/sub 4/ and with the non-reactive gas He is being determined in a 1'' downflow tubular reactor at pressures from 20 to 1000 psi and temperatures from 600 to 1000/sup 0/C. With hydrogen, flash hydropyrolysis leads to high yields of methane and CO which can be used for SNG and methanol production. With methane, flash methanolysis of wood, leads to high yields of ethylene, benzene and CO which can be used for the production of valuable feedstocks and methanol fuel. At reactor conditions of 50 psi and 1000/sup 0/C and approximately 1 sec residence time, the ethylene yield based on wood carbon converted is 22%, benzene 12% and the CO yield is 48%. The yield of ethylene is 2.2 times higher with methane than with helium, thus indicating a free radical rection between CH/sub 4/ and the pyrolyzed wood. A preliminary process analysis indicates an economically competitive process for the production of ethylene, benzene and methanol based on the methanolysis of wood. It is recommended to further develop the data base for the flash pyrolysis of wood and other biomass materials with methane as well as with other reactive gases (e.g. CO and CO/sub 2/) and determine the role of the hemi-cellulose and lignin in the formation of these valuable fuels and feedstocks.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
6459953
Report Number(s):
BNL-32746; CONF-830323-2; ON: DE83010852
Resource Relation:
Conference: 15. biomass thermochemical conversion contractors' meeting, Atlanta, GA, USA, 16 Mar 1983
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English