Reactions of Model Compounds of Biomass-Pyrolysis Oils over ZSM—5 Zeolite Catalysts

Abstract

The catalytic conversion of model compounds (e.g. cyclopentanone, cyclopentenone, furfural, glycerol, glucose, fructose and their derivatives usually found in the pyrolysis oils of biomass materials) to hydrocarbon products over H-ZSM-5, Zn-ZSM-5 and Mn-ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts have been studied in a fixed bed microreactor at temperatures ranging from 350°C to 500°C. Although the deoxygenation of cyclopentanone was completed at 400°C, low yields of hydrocarbons were obtained for furfural, glycerol and carbohydrate derivatives. This is due possibly to thermal polymerization at reaction temperatures of 400°C and higher. Increasing the (H/C)eff ratio of the feed with methanol increased significantly the hydrocarbon yield of furfural but not that of carbohydrates. Reaction mechanisms for deoxygenation and tar formation are proposed.