PYROLYSIS, A PROMISING ROUTE FOR BIOMASS UTILIZATION

The pyrolysis of biomass is a thermal treatment which results in the Production of char, liquid and gaseous products. In this laboratory the pyrolysis process has been studied experimentally using apparatus of different scales. In particular, the influence of the main process parameters on the yields and characteristics of the products has been investigated. On the basis of these results the differences between conventional and fast pyrolysis can be discussed. The most attractive product of conventional pyrolysis is charcoal, as the handling and use of bio-oil presents some problems due to its characteristics. The pyrolysis gas is a medium BTU gas and can be easily burnt. Fast pyrolysis minimizes charcoal production. This process gives as the main product a high yield of a medium BTU gas rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The feasibility of the process on an industrial scale is discussed.