Improving hydrocarbons and phenols in bio-oil through catalytic pyrolysis of pine sawdust. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ouedraogo, Angelika S.; Bhoi, Prakashbhai R.; Gerdmann, Christopher; Patil, Vivek; Adhikari, Sushil
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Energy Institute. Volume 99(2021)
• Page Start: 9
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: Bio-oil -- Catalyst -- Hydrocarbons -- Phenols -- Pine sawdust -- Pyrolysis; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Fuel -- Periodicals; 621.04205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2021.07.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9671

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this research was to develop low-cost metal-supported catalysts to improve the hydrocarbons, phenols, and phenolic compounds yield in the bio-oil. In this study, pyrolysis of pine sawdust was performed without a catalyst, with HZSM-5 catalyst and with Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst at temperatures of 400, 500, and 600 °C in a fixed bed reactor. The metal supported catalyst Ni/HZSM-5 was developed by wet impregnation method. The effects of temperatures and catalyst type on the yield and quality of the pyrolysis oil were investigated. The non-catalytic pyrolysis resulted in bio-oil yield of 37.4 wt% at 500 °C; however, HZSM-5 and Ni/HZSM-5 catalysts had a marginally lower yield of bio-oil (36.6 and 35.3 wt%, respectively) at 400 °C. The presence of catalysts improved the bio-oil viscosity by producing approximately more than 90% of light bio-oil while the remaining 10% was heavy bio-oil. Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst exhibited the best catalyst activity, with 80.2% and 49.7% yields of the desired compounds in heavy and light bio-oils respectively, while the bio-oil obtained without catalyst contained only 34.9% at 400 °C. Highlights: Low-cost metal supported Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst is synthesized using wet impregnation method and evaluated its activity. HZSM-5 and Ni/HZSM-5 catalytic pyrolysis of pine reduced the temperature to 400°C compared to 500°C for thermal pyrolysis. Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst showed highest catalytic activity towards desired compounds in both light and dark bio-oil. HZSM-5 is selective towards hydrocarbons in light and heavy pyrolysis oils.