BioMatNet Item: JOULE JOR3-CT95-0081 - Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass for improved liquid fuel quality

[BioMatNet Database - European Commission]

JOULE JOR3-CT95-0081
Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass for improved liquid fuel quality

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JOULE/THERMIE Programme : Liquid Biofuels and Biogas : Thermochemical Conversion

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	JOR3-CT95-0081
	EC Contribution	1,568,029 ECU
	Start Date	22/12/1995
	Duration	30 Months

Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass for improved liquid fuel quality

Objectives

The objective is to explore ways of catalytically and chemically upgrading or modifying biomass pyrolysis liquids to improve their properties and characteristics and thus make them easier to use. Subsidiary objectives include minimising the cost of improving and testing the more promising results on a large scale.

Technical Approach

The problems over stability and utilisation of bio-oil have led to research into modifying the bio-oil into a more stable liquid that can be used in conventional applications. The work focuses on zeolite cracking to a highly aromatic hydrocarbon product. This is less well developed than the high cost alternative of hydrotreating but has the major advantage of requiring similar reaction conditions to fast pyrolysis. It can thus be integrated or closely coupled to act on the primary reactor products. Many zeolites are available, all of which can be modified to add multifunctionality. Zeolites are also a particularly interesting group of catalysts due to the wide range of structures. There are extensive opportunities for modifying them with a range of metallic and non-metallic elements to enhance specific characteristics.

A related catalyst that has recently been tried is pillared clay. It can be modified in much the same way as a zeolite and is also more mechanically and thermally robust, so is more promising in the high temperature and abrasive environment of a pyrolyser. Another way of upgrading the liquid bio-oils is by chemical reaction of the whole group of reactive constituents that make a major contribution to the instability. Simple chemical reaction with an alcohol in these acid conditions gives a relatively stable acetal. These acetals are chemically stable, polar and thus water soluble, can be distilled without degradation, have a lower viscosity than initial bio-oil, and can incorporate all the bio-oil thus giving a very high yield of product.

Expected Results

Several complementary routes to producing a higher quality bio-oil will be examined. Any one or a combination of these options is expected to provide a sufficiently enhanced product so that lower cost processing can be expected. The more promising will be tested and evaluated on a large pilot plant. From the testing on the large pilot plant, design and performance data will be derived for translation in to demonstration plant designs and specifications.

Contacts

Coordinator

Dietrich MEIER / Bundesforschungsanstalt fuer Forst- und Holtzwirtschaft GERMANY

Participant