Synthesis gas production by biomass pyrolysis: Effect of reactor temperature on product distribution

Abstract

This paper describes mass, C, H, and O balances for wood chips pyrolysis experiments performed in a tubular reactor under conditions of rich H 2 gas production (700–1000 °C) and for determined solid heating rates (20–40 °C s −1). Permanent gases (H 2, CO, CH 4, CO 2, C 2H 4, C 2H 6), water, aromatic tar (10 compounds from benzene to phenanthrene and phenols), and char were considered in the balance calculations. Hydrogen (H) from dry wood is mainly converted into CH 4 (more than 30% mol. of H at 900 °C), H 2 (from 9% to 36% mol. from 700 to 1000 °C), H 2O, and C 2H 4. The molar balances showed that the important yield increase of H 2 from 800 to 1000 °C (0.10 Nm 3 kg −1 to 0.24 Nm 3 kg −1 d.a.f. wood) cannot be solely explained by the analyzed hydrocarbon compounds conversion (CH 4, C 2, aromatic tar). Possible mechanisms of H 2 production from wood pyrolysis are discussed.