This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will validate an innovative two-stage pyrolysis process that can convert biomass feedstocks into a low oxygenate-containing bio-oil. Growing concerns about petroleum availability, price fluctuations, and greenhouse gas emissions have made the production of carbon-neutral transportation fuels from renewable and domestic feedstocks a critical social and scientific challenge that must be addressed. Bio-oil production through flash pyrolysis of biomass feedstocks offers several advantages over other technologies such as gasification. These advantages include lower capital and operating costs, ability to build smaller yet commercially viable distributed facilities, and feedstock flexibility. However, the bio-oil produced using conventional flash pyrolysis processes are problematic due to their extremely corrosive and unstable nature. These problems are primarily caused by oxygenated compounds in the bio-oil, including various acids and phenolic species. The innovative technology proposed in this application produces a very low oxygenate-containing bio-oil through the use of a two-stage pyrolysis process. The resulting bio-oil has superior physical and chemical properties, compared to products from conventional processes, and allows for ease-of-handling, transportation, and refining. Supplemental
Keywords: flash hydro-pyrolysis, two-stage pyrolysis, bio-oil, biocrude, renewable fuels, biomass based fuels, bioenergy
