Pyrolysis Oils from Biomass: Producing, Analyzing, and Upgrading

Abstract

Renewable biomass (harvest and process residues in forestry and agricultural operations, specific terrestrial or aquatic crops grown for fuel, often animal wastes, refuse derived fiber, etc.) represents an important energy resource in the United States, with future potentials especially important as fossil fuels are depleted (1). Biomass is however generally poorly suited for direct energy use, with pretreatments necessary for altering physical and chemical form. Moisture content can be in excess of 50%, so costs of collection, transportation, and energy conversion become relatively inefficient. Further, biomass availability (e.g., from row crops) is sometimes seasonal, so storage is necessary. As biomass can spoil, it has to be covered and processed soon after receipt. Fortunately, thermal conversion processes are somewhat insensitive to type, form and shape, and can convert biomass into stable, storable and transportable energy forms, and in physical or chemical forms that can be used in higher efficiency energy conversion