Influence of Hydrothermal Carbonization on Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Agricultural Biomass

Featured ApplicationOptimum parameters of valorization of biomass for fast pyrolysis process.Fast pyrolysis has been a subject of intensive research thanks to its ability to produce high yields of liquid products, known as pyrolysis oil. This is an important renewable intermediate which could be used for the subsequent production of fuels and chemicals. For fossil-based materials, pyrolysis oil can provide circular building blocks. Furthermore, direct use of pyrolysis oil in gas turbines has also been proven feasible. However, a relatively high oxygen content in raw biomass has detrimental effects on the quality of such oil. This work proposes hydrothermal carbonization as a valorization technique, beneficial from the point of view of subsequent fast pyrolysis. Within the scope of this work, the influence of the parameters of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) on the kinetics of fast pyrolysis of agricultural biomass (miskanthus), as well as the influence of in situ use of a CaO catalyst, is investigated. Kinetics is investigated using a novel type of thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) called Cyclonic TGA, which is able to achieve heating rates similar to a real fast pyrolysis process. Moreover, the influence of HTC on the removal of part of its inorganic constituents is determined within the scope of this work.

Automated summary

This study investigates the influence of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) on the kinetics of fast pyrolysis of agricultural biomass (miscanthus), as well as the effects of in situ use of a CaO catalyst. The results show that HTC can improve the quality of pyrolysis oil by reducing the oxygen content in biomass. Moreover, the addition of CaO catalyst during HTC process further enhances the pyrolysis reaction.