Thermochemical treatment of biomass in a flow of steam or in a mixture of steam and carbon dioxide

Simultaneous pyrolysis and gasification of biomass samples of different ori gin is performed in a flow of steam or in a mixture of steam and carbon dio xide. Wastes from birch wood, olive stones, bagasse, and pellets from straw and Miscanthus are used as feedstock. The raw materials are heated with 10 degrees C/min to 750 degrees C at atmospheric pressure and kept for a peri od of 2 h at this temperature, Laboratory experimental equipment with a hor izontal rotating stainless steel reactor is used. The oxygen-containing fun ctional groups in the solid products (-COOH, =CO and -OH) are determined us ing the method of Boehm. The results are compared with those obtained in tr eatment in inert atmosphere as well as with those obtained in a stationary reactor. The rotating pyrolysis reactor seems suitable for production of en ergy-rich gaseous products and activated carbons. (C) 2000 Published by Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.