Fast microwave assisted pyrolysis of biomass using microwave absorbent

Fernanda Cabral Borges; Zhenyi Du; Qinglong Xie; Jorge Otávio Trierweiler; Yanling Cheng; Yiqin Wan; Yuhuan Liu; Rongbi Zhu; Xiangyang Lin; Paul Chen; Roger Ruan

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.038

Fast microwave assisted pyrolysis of biomass using microwave absorbent

Bioresour Technol. 2014 Mar:156:267-74. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.038. Epub 2014 Jan 22.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, United States; GIMSCOP and Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Engenheiro Luiz Englert, Prédio 12204, 90040-040 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
² Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, United States.
³ GIMSCOP and Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Engenheiro Luiz Englert, Prédio 12204, 90040-040 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
⁴ MOE Biomass Engineering Research Center, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 370047, PR China.
⁵ College of Biological Science and Technology, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, PR China.
⁶ Center for Biorefining and Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, United States; MOE Biomass Engineering Research Center, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 370047, PR China. Electronic address: ruanx001@umn.edu.

PMID: 24518438
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.01.038

Abstract

A novel concept of fast microwave assisted pyrolysis (fMAP) in the presence of microwave absorbents was presented and examined. Wood sawdust and corn stover were pyrolyzed by means of microwave heating and silicon carbide (SiC) as microwave absorbent. The bio-oil was characterized, and the effects of temperature, feedstock loading, particle sizes, and vacuum degree were analyzed. For wood sawdust, a temperature of 480°C, 50 grit SiC, with 2g/min of biomass feeding, were the optimal conditions, with a maximum bio-oil yield of 65 wt.%. For corn stover, temperatures ranging from 490°C to 560°C, biomass particle sizes from 0.9mm to 1.9mm, and vacuum degree lower than 100mmHg obtained a maximum bio-oil yield of 64 wt.%. This study shows that the use of microwave absorbents for fMAP is feasible and a promising technology to improve the practical values and commercial application outlook of microwave based pyrolysis.

Keywords: Bio-oil; Biomass; Fast pyrolysis; Microwave; Model compounds.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Absorption, Physicochemical*
Biofuels
Biomass*
Biotechnology / methods*
Charcoal / chemistry
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Hot Temperature
Microwaves*
Oils / chemistry
Wood / chemistry
Zea mays / chemistry

Substances

Biofuels
Oils
biochar
Charcoal