Hydro-Pyrolysis and Catalytic Upgrading of Biomass and Its Hydroxy Residue Fast Pyrolysis Vapors

Yichen Liu, James J. Leahy, Jacek Grams and Witold Kwapinski
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Yichen Liu: Carbolea Research Group, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick V94T9PX, Ireland
James J. Leahy: Carbolea Research Group, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick V94T9PX, Ireland
Jacek Grams: Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Witold Kwapinski: Carbolea Research Group, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick V94T9PX, Ireland

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Fast pyrolysis of Miscanthus, its hydrolysis residue and lignin were carried with a pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) followed by online vapor catalytic upgrading with sulfated ZrO 2 , sulfated TiO 2 and sulfated 60 wt.% ZrO 2 -TiO 2 . The most evident influence of the catalyst on the vapor phase composition was observed for aromatic hydrocarbons, light phenols and heavy phenols. A larger amount of light phenols was detected, especially when 60 wt.% ZrO 2 -TiO 2 was present. Thus, a lower average molecular weight and lower viscosity of bio-oil could be obtained with this catalyst. Pyrolysis was also performed at different pressures of hydrogen. The pressure of H2 has a great effect on the overall yield and the composition of biomass vapors. The peak area percentages of both aromatic hydrocarbons and cyclo-alkanes are enhanced with the increasing of H2 pressure. The overall yields are higher with the addition of either H 2 or sulfated catalysts. This is beneficial as phenols are valuable chemicals, thus, increasing the value of bio-oil. The results show that the hydrolysis residue has the potential to become a resource for phenol production.

Keywords: Py-GC/MS; ZrO 2; TiO 2; biorefinery; acid hydrolysis; HDO; hydropyrolysis; Miscanthus (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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