Energy & Fuels, Vol.23, No.7, 3767-3772, 2009
Bio-oil from Sawdust: Pyrolysis of Sawdust in a Fixed-Bed System
Sawdust was pyrolyzed in a fixed-bed tubular reactor. The roles of the pyrolysis temperature, sweep gas flow rate, condensation temperature, and heating rate in the yields of the products were investigated. The obtained char, gas. and bio-oil yields ranged between 20 and 27, 36 and 45, and 33 and 45 wt %, respectively. at different pyrolysis conditions. According to the results obtained under the conditions of this Study. the effects of the pyrolysis temperature, sweep gas flow rate, and heating rate on the yields are more significant than the effect of the condensation temperature. The chemical characteristics of the pyrolysis bio-oil and char obtained under optimal operational conditions were identified by elemental and calorific analyses. The bio-oil was analyzed using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.