Estimating the Temperature Experienced by Biomass Particles during Fast Pyrolysis Using Microscopic Analysis of Biochars

Journal Article · Wed Jul 12 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Energy and Fuels

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.7b00791 · OSTI ID:1376661

Thompson, Logan C. ^[1]; Ciesielski, Peter N.  ^[1]; Jarvis, Mark W. ^[1]; Mukarakate, Calvin  ^[1]; Nimlos, Mark R.  ^[1]; Donohoe, Bryon S.  ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Here, biomass particles can experience variable thermal conditions during fast pyrolysis due to differences in their size and morphology, and from local temperature variations within a reactor. These differences lead to increased heterogeneity of the chemical products obtained in the pyrolysis vapors and bio-oil. Here we present a simple, high-throughput method to investigate the thermal history experienced by large ensembles of particles during fast pyrolysis by imaging and quantitative image analysis. We present a correlation between the surface luminance (darkness) of the biochar particle and the highest temperature that it experienced during pyrolysis. Next, we apply this correlation to large, heterogeneous ensembles of char particles produced in a laminar entrained flow reactor (LEFR). The results are used to interpret the actual temperature distributions delivered by the reactor over a range of operating conditions.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Bioenergy Technologies Office (EE-3B); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1376661
• Report Number(s): NREL/JA--2700-68941
• Journal Information: Energy and Fuels, Journal Name: Energy and Fuels Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 31; ISSN 0887-0624
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English