| Utilization of renewable energy sources is one of the finest resolutions to solve issues related to environment and energy demands. In this regard, biomass is an intriguing candidate to substitute fossil based liquid fuels. Fast pyrolysis of biomass produces bio-oil as major product, which is an intermediate in biofuel production. There are some challenges for the utilization of bio-oil because of its some negative attributes.;The current research is focused on understanding the effect of fast pyrolysis process parameters on the bio-oil quality and upgrading to “drop-in”, non-ethanol, “green” hydrocarbon fuels. A detailed research plan was discussed in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 reviews fast pyrolysis process, reactors, bio-oil properties and upgrading, and economical analysis of pyrolysis.;In this study, bio-oil was produced in a laboratory scale auger reactor and its physical and chemical properties were investigated in Chapter 3. The bio-oil produced at four different temperatures (425-500°C) met the specifications listed in ASTM D7544-09. Changes in pyrolysis process parameters, such as temperature, heating rate and feedstock were carried out to study their effect on the yield of individual component in the bio-oil (Chapter 4) and a statistical analysis was performed to know significance of the effects. The effect of pyrolysis temperature on each group of compounds also depends on feedstock characteristics. |
