What is Pyrolysis?

“Pyrolysis is thermal cracking in the absence of oxygen.”

Cedric Briens

“Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of organic material at elevated

temperatures, in the absence of gases such as air or oxygen.”
Greenpeace

Heat introduced, O2 excluded

An endothermic reaction

Pyrolysis is a thermochemical conversion technology used to produce energy from

biomass. It involves the heating of organic materials in the absence of reagents,
especially oxygen to achieve decomposition. When pyrolysis takes place in the
presence of water, it is called hydrous pyrolysis.
Pyrolysis of Biomass

HEAT

Vapour
Condensation

Biomass

3
Fast Pyrolysis
Process

(Electrostatic
Precipitator)
 Pyrolysis – Products
1) Intermediate products: Syngas, Charcoal
2) Main products (final products): Bio-oil and Bio-char
3) By products: Electricity and Thermal energy

Pyrolysis – By product
Some Advantages of Pyrolysis of Biomass

• Carbon neutrality
• Utilises otherwise waste biomass
• Potential to be self-sustaining energy-wise
• Increases bulk and energy density of
biomass
• Source of valuable chemicals
• Biomass source can be decoupled from the
energy utilisation

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 Mode of Biomass Pyrolysis
Product yields (dry feed basis) for pyrolysis of
wood.
Mode Conditions Liquid Char Gas
Moderate temperature,
Fast pyrolysis 75% 12% 13%
short residence time

Low temperature, very

Slow Pyrolysis 30% 35% 35%
long residence time

High temperature, long

Gasification 5% 10% 85%
residence time.
A.V.Bridgwater

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Pyrolysis – Many faces
Carbonisation/ Slow Pyrolysis
Fast Pyrolysis
Essential features of a fast pyrolysis process:

• Very high heating and heat transfer rates, which require a

finely ground feed.
• Thermodynamically stable and easily achievable process.
• Product is obtained in less than 1 sec.
• Quenching (rapid cooling) of the pyrolysis vapours to give the
bio-oil product.
Bio-Oil
Fast Pyrolysis: Opportunities and Challenges
 Alternatives to upgrading

• Gasification of bio-oil to syngas

• Combination of bio-oil with diesel

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 Comparison of Bio-oil with Heavy Fuel oil
Physical property Pyrolysis Bio-oil Heavy Fuel Oil
Water, wt% 15-30 0.1
Specific Gravity 1.2 0.94
Heating Value (MJ/kg) 13-19 40
Solids, wt% 0.2-0.1 0.2-1.0
Viscosity, (at 50°C) (cP) 40-100 180
pH 2.5
Oxygen, wt% 35-60 0.6-1.0
Dinesh Mohan
et al

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Energy efficiency of Bio-Oil

Applications of Bio-Oil
Bio-char
26
Organisation of Development Action and Maintainance (ODAM, Tamil Nadu),
with support from the Siemenpuu Foundation in Finland, conducted a series of
biochar field trials in Southern India using common feedstocks to produce the
biochar. And used it for farming purposes.
 Assignment - 3
1. Describe the working process of pyrolysis of biomass along
with the neat diagram.
2. Distinguish between fast and slow pyrolysis.
3. Explain production of bio-oil and its applications.
4. Give the important of bio-char in our daily life.