Pyrolysis of eucalyptus wood in a fluidized-bed reactor

Abstract

Eucalyptus wood can be utilized as a biomass feedstock for conversion to bio-oil using a pyrolysis process. Eucalyptus wood samples were initially pyrolyzed on a laboratory-scale pyrolysis system at different values in the ranges of 300-800 °C and 0.050-0.300 L min-1 to determine the effects of operation temperature and N2 flow rate, respectively, on the yields of products. Then, the bio-oil in the highest yield (wB = 44.37 %), which was obtained at pyrolysis final temperature (450 °C), heating rate (35 °C min-1), particle size (850 lm), and sweeping flow rate (0.200 L min-1), was characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and column chromatography. Subsequently, it was shown that the operating temperature and N2 gas flow rate parameters affected the product yields. Also, some important physico-chemical properties of the pyrolytic oil obtained in high yield were determined as a calorific value of 37.85 MJ kg-1, an empirical formula of CH1.651O0.105N0.042S 0.001, a rich chemical content containing many different chemical groups, a density of 981.48 kg m-3, and a viscosity of 61.24 mm 2 s-1. Based on the determined properties of the pyrolytic oil, it was concluded that the use of pyrolytic oil derived from Eucalyptus wood may be useful for the production of alternative liquid fuels and fine chemicals after the necessary improvements.