Speaker
Description
Biomass stands out as a plentiful renewable energy resource. The development of biomass refineries can play a crucial role in advancing cost-effective and sustainable energy solutions. Pyrolysis, a thermochemical method, converts organic materials derived from biomass into valuable products. Usually, pyrolysis is conducted in the presence of a catalyst and always in an oxygen-free atmosphere. This process yields solid residues as well as liquid and gaseous fuels.
During the course of this work, several experiments were conducted using different mass ratios of biomass to catalysts (Al₂O₃ and opalized tuff) to examine their influence on the density, viscosity, pH value, and refractive index of the produced bio-oil. The changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the obtained bio-oils indicate a variation in composition due to the adjustment in the quantity and ratio of the catalysts used. This approach allows for the preparation of bio-oils with specific compositions, tailored for predetermined applications. A larger quantity of catalyst reduces the density and viscosity of the bio-oil resulting from the increased number of active sites in the catalyst used for biomass cracking. With a higher amount of catalyst, the cracking process of long-chain hydrocarbons is more pronounced, and the resulting bio-oil contains lighter hydrocarbons compared to bio-oil produced with a lower amount of catalyst. The pH value of the obtained bio-oil, based on the conducted analyses, ranges between 2.1 and 3, which is characteristic for bio-oil produced through pyrolysis of solid biomass. A larger amount of catalyst reduces the refractive index.
Keywords: pyrolysis, biomass, catalysts, bio-oil, physicochemical characteristics
| Scientific Sections | Green Technologies |
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