PYROLYSIS CHARACTERISTICS OF BIOMASS AND BIOMASS COMPONENTS

Biomass pyrolysis studies were conducted using both a thermogravimetri c analyser and a packed-bed pyrolyser. Each kind of biomass has a char acteristic pyrolysis behaviour which is explained based on its individ ual component characteristics. Studies on isolated biomass components as well as synthetic biomass show that the interactions among the comp onents are not of as much significance as the composition of the bioma ss. Direct summative correlations based on biomass component pyrolysis adequately explain both the pyrolysis characteristics and product dis tribution of biomass. It is inferred that there is no detectable inter action among the components during pyrolysis in either the thermogravi metric analyser or the packed-bed pyrolyser. However, ash present in b iomass seems to have a strong influence on both the pyrolysis characte ristics and the product distribution. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.