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Thermochemical biomass conversion

13 articles

Bio-oil upgrading

Bio-oil upgrading is the set of physical, chemical, and catalytic treatments that convert crude bio-oil from fast pyrolysis of biomass into a drop-in fuel, mainly by hydrodeoxygenation and catalytic cracking.

Biomass to liquid

Biomass to liquid (BtL) is a multi-step process that gasifies non-food biomass like wood residues and straw into syngas, then synthesizes drop-in fuels such as diesel and kerosene via Fischer-Tropsch.

BtL fuel

BtL fuel, short for biomass-to-liquid, is a second-generation synthetic biofuel made by gasifying solid biomass and converting the synthesis gas into diesel, naphtha, or gasoline via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

Direct liquefaction of biomass

Direct liquefaction of biomass is the family of thermochemical processes that turn biomass directly into biocrude, mainly by fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction, then upgrade it to fuels.

Entrained-flow gasifier

An entrained-flow gasifier is a gasification reactor in which finely pulverized fuel and oxygen react co-currently at high temperature, giving tar-free syngas, over 95% carbon conversion, and slag removal.

Fast pyrolysis

Fast pyrolysis is the rapid thermal decomposition of biomass without oxygen at roughly 500 °C, yielding about 75% bio-oil, a liquid fuel produced at commercial scale.

Fixed-bed gasifier

A fixed-bed gasifier is a gasification reactor in which solid fuel rests on a grate while air, oxygen, or steam flows through it, converting the fuel into producer gas.

Fluidized bed gasifier

A fluidized bed gasifier is a reactor that converts solid fuel, most often biomass, into combustible gas by suspending it in an upward flow of air, steam, or oxygen.

Indirect gasification

Indirect gasification, also called allothermal gasification, is a gasification process that supplies heat to convert solid fuel into gas via hot bed material circulating between two reactors, keeping the product gas nitrogen-free.

Lignin valorization

Lignin valorization is the conversion of lignin, the most abundant renewable aromatic polymer in plant cell walls, into fuels, aromatic chemicals, and materials rather than burning it as low-value fuel.

Pyrolysis oil

Pyrolysis oil, also called bio-oil or py-oil, is the dark brown liquid made by heating biomass or waste without oxygen, used as burner fuel or upgraded into transportation fuels.

Supercritical water gasification of biomass

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of biomass is a thermochemical process that gasifies wet biomass in water above its critical point into hydrogen-rich gas, pioneered at MIT in 1978.

Torrefied biomass

Torrefied biomass, or bio-coal, is a solid biofuel made by heating wood or agricultural residue to 200–300 °C in an inert atmosphere so it burns like coal.