THE PRODUCTION OF LIQUID FUEL BY FAST PYROLYSIS OF BIOMASS

The NREL Fast Ablative Pyrolysis Technology was employed to generate o ils from various biomass feedstocks. The oil yield from wood (64 perce nt) was higher than from herbaceous species (51 percent). Biomass oils have potential to be used as fuel though their properties are differe nt from those of petroleum derived oils. They are multicomponent mixtu res containing various groups of organic compounds such as sugars, ald ehydes, acids, and phenolics. The density of the oils is about 1.2 g/m l and the pH is in the range 2.5-3.7. The viscosity of 20-80 cP (at 45 degrees C) corresponds to that of No. 6 fuel oil. The high heating ua lue for the biomass oils is in the range of 22.5-24.4 MJ/kg on a water -free basis. Considering the highest oil yields, it corresponds to app roximately 65 percent of the wood heating value transferred to the oil .