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Title: Catalyst and feedstock effects in the thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels

Abstract

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.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
5305775
Report Number(s):
NREL/TP-431-4831; CONF-920678-7
ON: DE92010569
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-83CH10093
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: National solar energy conference, Cocoa Beach, FL (United States), 13-18 Jun 1992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; 33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; ALKENES; PRODUCTION; AROMATICS; BIOMASS; PYROLYSIS; AUTOMOTIVE FUELS; BENZENE; BUTENES; CATALYSTS; CATALYTIC CRACKING; CRESOLS; ETHYLENE; HEXENES; LIQUID FUELS; MATERIAL SUBSTITUTION; NAPHTHALENE; PENTENES; PHENOL; PROPYLENE; STYRENE; TOLUENE; XYLENES; ALKYLATED AROMATICS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CONDENSED AROMATICS; CRACKING; DECOMPOSITION; ENERGY SOURCES; FUELS; HYDROCARBONS; HYDROXY COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PHENOLS; RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES; THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES; 090900* - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-); 330800 - Emission Control- Alternative Fuels; 400800 - Combustion, Pyrolysis, & High-Temperature Chemistry

Citation Formats

Rejai, B, Agblevor, F A, Evans, R J, and Wang, D. Catalyst and feedstock effects in the thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Rejai, B, Agblevor, F A, Evans, R J, & Wang, D. Catalyst and feedstock effects in the thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels. United States.
Rejai, B, Agblevor, F A, Evans, R J, and Wang, D. 1992. "Catalyst and feedstock effects in the thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5305775.
@article{osti_5305775,
title = {Catalyst and feedstock effects in the thermochemical conversion of biomass to liquid transportation fuels},
author = {Rejai, B and Agblevor, F A and Evans, R J and Wang, D},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5305775}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992},
month = {Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992}
}

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