Two-step fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of biomass for bio-oil production using microwave absorbent and HZSM-5 catalyst

Bo Zhang; Zhaoping Zhong; Qinglong Xie; Shiyu Liu; Roger Ruan

doi:10.1016/j.jes.2015.12.019

Two-step fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of biomass for bio-oil production using microwave absorbent and HZSM-5 catalyst

J Environ Sci (China). 2016 Jul:45:240-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2015.12.019. Epub 2016 Feb 13.

Authors

Bo Zhang¹, Zhaoping Zhong², Qinglong Xie³, Shiyu Liu³, Roger Ruan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, MN 55108, USA.
² Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China. Electronic address: zzhong@seu.edu.cn.
³ Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, MN 55108, USA.
⁴ Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, MN 55108, USA. Electronic address: ruanx001@umn.edu.

PMID: 27372139
DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2015.12.019

Abstract

A novel technology of two-step fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis (fMAP) of corn stover for bio-oil production was investigated in the presence of microwave absorbent (SiC) and HZSM-5 catalyst. Effects of fMAP temperature and catalyst-to-biomass ratio on bio-oil yield and chemical components were examined. The results showed that this technology, employing microwave, microwave absorbent and HZSM-5 catalyst, was effective and promising for biomass fast pyrolysis. The fMAP temperature of 500°C was considered the optimum condition for maximum yield and best quality of bio-oil. Besides, the bio-oil yield decreased linearly and the chemical components in bio-oil were improved sequentially with the increase of catalyst-to-biomass ratio from 1:100 to 1:20. The elemental compositions of bio-char were also determined. Additionally, compared to one-step fMAP process, two-step fMAP could promote the bio-oil quality with a smaller catalyst-to-biomass ratio.

Keywords: Catalytic upgrading; HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst; Microwave; Pyrolysis; Two-step.

MeSH terms

Biofuels*
Biomass
Catalysis
Incineration / methods*
Microwaves*
Temperature

Substances

Biofuels