Upgrading bio-oil produced from the catalytic pyrolysis of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L) straw using calcined dolomite

Abstract

In this study, the catalytic pyrolysis of sugarcane straw (SCS) into bio-oil and chemicals using calcined dolomite was applied for upgraded bio-oil production. Experiments were performed in a custom-built SS316 tube reactor, and the effects of the pyrolysis parameters, including the different dolomite calcination conditions, temperature (400-600 °C), biomass feed rate (0.3–1.2 kg h−1), sweeping gas flow rate (80–200 cm3 min−1) and average size distribution (250–1000 µm), were systematically investigated. The results showed that the SCS catalytic pyrolysis process obtained liquid yields of 36.15 wt%, gas yields of 52.09 wt% and solid yields of 11.76 wt% when using a pyrolysis temperature, biomass feed rate, nitrogen sweep gas, and average biomass size of 450 °C, 0.6 kg h−1, 80 cm3 min−1 and 500 µm, respectively, with 10 wt% calcined dolomite. The calcined dolomite influenced the bio-oil components from the carbonylation and the cracking of volatile vapor and resulted in an upgraded bio-oil with a lower oxygen content, higher gross calorific value and decreased acid corrosion. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.