An Overview of Recent Developments in Biomass Pyrolysis Technologies

M. N. Uddin, Kuaanan Techato, Juntakan Taweekun, Md Mofijur Rahman, M. G. Rasul, T. M. I. Mahlia and S. M. Ashrafur
Additional contact information
M. N. Uddin: Sustainable Energy Management, IGES, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Kuaanan Techato: Environmental Assessment & Technology for Hazardous Waste Management Research Center, Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
Juntakan Taweekun: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand
Md Mofijur Rahman: School of Engineering & Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, Australia
M. G. Rasul: School of Engineering & Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, Australia
T. M. I. Mahlia: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
S. M. Ashrafur: Biofuel Engine Research Facility (BERF), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-24

Abstract: Biomass is a promising sustainable and renewable energy source, due to its high diversity of sources, and as it is profusely obtainable everywhere in the world. It is the third most important fuel source used to generate electricity and for thermal applications, as 50% of the global population depends on biomass. The increase in availability and technological developments of recent years allow the use of biomass as a renewable energy source with low levels of emissions and environmental impacts. Biomass energy can be in the forms of biogas, bio-liquid, and bio-solid fuels. It can be used to replace fossil fuels in the power and transportation sectors. This paper critically reviews the facts and prospects of biomass, the pyrolysis process to obtain bio-oil, the impact of different pyrolysis technology (for example, temperature and speed of pyrolysis process), and the impact of various reactors. The paper also discusses different pyrolysis products, their yields, and factors affecting biomass products, including the present status of the pyrolysis process and future challenges. This study concluded that the characteristics of pyrolysis products depend on the biomass used, and what the pyrolysis product, such as bio-oil, can contribute to the local economy. Finally, more research, along with government subsidies and technology transfer, is needed to tackle the future challenges of the development of pyrolysis technology.

Keywords: renewable energy; biofuel; environment; technology development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (33)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/11/3115/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/11/3115/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:11:p:3115-:d:181975

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().