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

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6459953

Steinberg, M; Fallon, P T; Sundaram, M S

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
• 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)
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
ALKENES
AROMATICS
BENZENE
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL LIQUEFACTION
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ETHYLENE
FLASH HYDROPYROLYSIS PROCESS
FLUIDS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HELIUM
HEMICELLULOSE
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LIGNIN
LIQUEFACTION
METHANE
METHANOL
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLYSACCHARIDES
PYROLYSIS
RARE GASES
SACCHARIDES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WOOD