(582f) Production of Bio-Oil and Hydrogen From Sawdust Via Pyrolysis and Catalytic Steam Reforming

Sawdust was pyrolyzed in fixed-bed and fluidized-bed reactors. The role of pyrolysis temperature, nitrogen gas flow rate, and condensation temperature on product yield was investigated. The chemical characteristics of the pyrolysis bio-oil and char obtained under the optimal operational conditions were identified by elemental and calorific analyses. The bio-oil was analyzed using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Pyrolysis temperature had the most significant effect on the bio-oil yield. Furthermore, a lab-scale fluidized-bed pyrolysis reactor was developed to produce bio-oil from sawdust as well as agricultural wastes such as wheat straw. A third experimental system was designed and constructed to make hydrogen from produced bio-oil in a catalytic micro-reactor. Gas chromatographic technique was used to determine the concentration of hydrogen and the other components in produced flue gas from the catalytic micro-reactor. The effect of Ni-based catalysts with different Ni loading on the hydrogen yield was investigated.

Keywords: sawdust; fast pyrolysis; hydrogen; bio-oil