Slow pyrolysis of pine wood: Effect of CO2 and N2 atmosphere

Abstract

Biomass pyrolysis is one of the most promising approaches for effective biomass utilization. The role of N2 and CO2 atmosphere during slow pyrolysis of pine wood has been studied in a fixed bed reactor to understand the atmosphere effect on distribution of product yields, composition of bio-oil and conversion of biomass. The slow pyrolysis of pine wood was carried out at 300-550 °C. The maximum liquid yields obtained are as follows: 54 wt.% bio-oil obtained in CO2 and 58 wt.% obtained in the presence of N2 .Under different atmospheres, differences in the yields of gases, liquid, char and also variations in oxygenated compounds observed. Phenols and furans were prominent in bio-oils obtained at all tested temperatures.From the GC-MS analysis showed that the phenolic compounds in the bio-oil produced from pine wood in fixed bed were significantly higher under N2 atmosphere than the CO2 atmosphere These results are likely to confirm that CO2 has role on slow pyrolysis of pinewood biomass.