| The University of Arizona has developed an advanced extruder-feeder biomass liquefaction reactor system. This 11-year project successfully provided an alternative energy process for converting biomass to a crude oil, which can be hydrotreated and ultimately processed into liquid transportation fuels. In order to provide support studies for this process, a short-residence time autoclave capable of providing very brief heat-up and quenching periods in comparison to the time at reaction temperature has been designed and operated. Wood liquefaction in the presence of carbon monoxide, water, and sodium carbonate catalyst has been conducted at residence times of 1.75-60 minutes at temperatures of 340-400{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C.; Results indicate that the primary thermal decomposition reactions reach completion in less than 1.75 minutes. As a consequence, this research concentrated mostly on the effects of secondary reactions, and even shorter residence times are required to study the primary reactions. |
