Production of Bio-Oil for Chemical Valorization by Flash Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass in an Entrained Bed Reactor

Flash pyrolysis is used for chemical valorization of lignocellulosic biomass in an entrained bed reactor for the bio-oil production from wood particles of 350 µm diameter. The experimental conditions were selected by predicting the spatio-temporal temperature profile of the biomass particles. These calculations are used to compare different tests carried out under different operating conditions. The experiments were implemented in the temperature range between 400 and 550 °C and at different residence times (1.07, 1.64 and 2.74 s). The quality of the bio-oil depends essentially on the heating rate, temperature and the effective residence time of the particles at gas temperature. Long residence time slows down the heating rate of the particles and extends the effective residence time of the condensable gases. The secondary reactions intensify the cracking of the condensable vapors and induce the production of CO and CH4 from furan decomposition and primary lignin degradation products.