Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Properties of Fast Pyrolysis Liquids: Status of Test Methods

Characterisation of fast pyrolysis liquids

  • Chapter
Developments in Thermochemical Biomass Conversion

Abstract

Analysis and characterisation of liquids from fast pyrolysis processes is an important area of research. Data on the physical and chemical properties of the liquids may give important indications about process parameters, quality, toxicity and stability of the pyrolysis liquids. Based on the growing interest in the utilisation of pyrolysis liquids as fuel for heat and power production as well as a source for chemicals, several analytical methods have been applied and modified to meet the special requirements of pyrolysis liquids. This paper will describe new achievements and developments in the physical and chemical characterisation of pyrolysis liquids. Two international working groups, Pyrolysis Network for Europe (PyNE) and the IEA activity on pyrolysis (PyRA) are currently active in reviewing, assessing, harmonising and developing standard procedures for pyrolysis liquids analysis. These activities will be presented and discussed.

The unusual characteristics of pyrolysis liquids will be noted with respect to their physical properties and, where relevant, data presented. Most standard test methods for conventional fuel oils may be applied to fast pyrolysis liquids, although there are modifications to some tests and new tests require development in some areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 429.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Elliott, D.C., Sealock, L.J. and Burner, R.S. (1988) Product analysis from direct liquefaction of several high-moisture biomass feedstocks, Pyrolysis Oils from Biomass — Producing, Analyzing, and Upgrading, (eds. Soltes, E.J., Milne, T.A.), ACS, Washington, pp. 179–188.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Fagernäs, L. (1995) Chemical and physical characterization of biomass-based pyrolysis oils — Literature review. VTT Research Notes, Vol. 1706.

    Google Scholar 

  3. McKinley J. (1989), Biomass Liquefaction Centralized Analysis, prepared for Science Branch, Science Procurement Department of Supply and Services, Hull, Quebec, DSS file No. 23216–4–6192, Final report, Project No 4–03–837.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Pyrolysis Liquids Upgrading and Utilisation, (eds. A.V. Bridgwater, and G. Grassi), Elsevier Applied Science, p 177–218, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bio-oil Production and Utilisation- Proceedings of the 2nd EU-Canada workshop on Thermal Biomass Processing, (eds. A.V. Bridgwater, and E.N. Hogan), CPL Press, Newbury, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Proceedings Biomass Pyrolysis Oil Properties and Combustion Meeting, (ed. Milne, T.A.),US DoE, 1994, available from NTIS.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Diebold, J.P. et al. (1996) Specifications of fast pyrolysis liquids for use as a fuel, paper to be presented to this conference.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Rick, F. and Vix, U. (1991) Product Standards for Pyrolysis Liquids for use as fuel in industrial firing plants, Pyrolysis Liquids Upgrading and Utilisation (eds. Bridgwater, A.V. and Grassi, G.), Elsevier Applied Science, pp. 177–218.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Garrett, D.E. and Mallan, G.M., Pyrolysis Process for Solid Wastes, US Patent no 4153514, approved 8 May 1979.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Oasmaa, A., Leppämki, E., Koponen, P., Levander, J., Tapola, E. (1996) Physical characterization of biomass-based pyrolysis oils. Application of standardised fuel oil analyses for pyrolysid oils, to be published in VTT Research Notes.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Diebold, J.P., Scahill, J.W., Czernik, S., Philips, S.D. and Feik, C.J., (1996) Progress in the production of hot-gas filtered biocrude oil at NREL, Bio-oil Production and Utilisation- Proceedings of the 2nd EU-Canada workshop on Thermal Biomass Processing, (eds. A.V. Bridgwater, and E.N. Hogan), CPL Press, Newbury, pp. 66–81.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Tiplady, I.R., Peacocke, G.V.C. and Bridgwater, A.V. (1996) Physical properties of fast pyrolysis liquids from the Union Fenosa pilot plant, Bio-oil Production and Utilisation- Proceedings of the 2nd EU-Canada workshop on Thermal Biomass Processing, (eds. A.V. Bridgwater, and E.N. Hogan), CPL Press, Newbury, p 164–174.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Peacocke, G.V.C., Russell, P.A., Jenkins, J.D. and Bridgwater, A.V. Physical Properties of Flash Pyrolysis Liquids, Biomass and Bionergy, Vol. 7, No. 1–6, 1994, p 169–177.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Gros, S. (1995) Pyrolysis oil as diesel fuel, Wartsila Diesel International Ltd., Diesel Technology, Finland.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Graham, R.G., Ensyn Technologies Inc., Greely, Ontario, Canada, personal communication, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bakhshi, N. and Adjaye, J.D., Properties and Characteristics of Ensyn bio-oil, in Proceedings Biomass Pyrolysis Oil Properties and Combustion Meeting, (ed. T.A. Milne),US DoE, 1994, pp. 54–66.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Oasmaa, A. and Sipilä, K., Pyrolysis oil properties: use of pyrolysis oil as fuel in medium speed diesel engines, Bio-oil Production and Utilisation- Proceedings of the 2nd EU-Canada workshop on Thermal Biomass Processing, (eds. A.V. Bridgwater, and E.N. Hogan), CPL Press, Newbury, 1996, p 175–185.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Andrews, R., Patnaik, P.C., Liu, Q. and Thamburaj (1994) Firing Fast Pyrolysis Oils in Turbines, Proceedings of the Biomass Pyrolysis Oil Properties and Combustion Meeting, (ed. T.A. Milne), NREL/CP-430–7215, pp. 383–391.

    Google Scholar 

  19. S. Gust, Neste Oy, Finland, personal communication, March 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Czernik, S. (1994) Storage of Biomass Pyrolysis Liquids, Proceedings of the Biomass Pyrolysis Oil Properties and Combustion Meeting, (ed. T.A. Milne), NREL/CP-430–7215, pp. 67–73.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Adjaye, J.D., Sharma, R.K. and Bakhshi, N.N. (1992) Characterisation and stability analysis of wood-derived bio-oil, Fuel Processing Technology, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 241–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Milne, T.A., Agblevor, F., Davis, M., Deutch, S. and Johnson, D. A review of the chemical composition of fast pyrolysis oils from biomass, Developments in Thermochemical Biomass Conversion (ed. A.V. Bridgwater), 1996, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Maggi, R. and Delmon, B. (1994) Comparison between ‘slow’ and ‘flash’ pyrolysis oils from biomass. Fuel, Vol. 73, No. 5. pp. 671–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kelly, J., Mackey, M. and Helleur, R.J. (1991) Quantitative analysis of saccharides in wood pulps by quartz-tube pulse pyrolysis-polar phase gas chromatography. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, Vol. 19, pp. 105–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Meier, D. and Faix, O. (1992) Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry [of lignin in solid state], in Methods in Lignin Chemistry, (eds. Lin, Y., S., Dence, W., C), Springer, Berlin, pp. 177–199.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Faix, O., Bremer, J., Meier, D., Fortmann, I., Scheijen, M.A. and Boon, J.J. (1992) Characterization of tobacco lignin by analytical pyrolysis and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, Vol. 22, pp. 239–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Bates, A.L., Hatcher, P.G., Lerch, H.E.I., Cecil, C.B. and Neuzil, S.G. (1991) Studies of a peatified angiosperm log cross section from Indonesia by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and analytical pyrolysis, Org. Geochem., Vol. 17, pp. 37–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. van der Hage, E.R.E., Mulder, M.M. and Boon, JJ. (1993) Structural characterization of lignin polymers by temperature-resolved in-source pyrolysis-mass spectrometry and Curie-point pyrolysisgas chromatography/mass spectrometry. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, Vol. 25, pp. 149–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Pouwels, A.D. and Boon, J.J. (1990) Analysis of beech wood samples, its milled wood lignin and polysaccharide fractions by Curie-point and platinum filament pyrolysis-mass spectrometry. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, vol. 17, pp. 97–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Boon, J.J. (1992) Analytical pyrolysis mass spectrometry: new vistas opened by temperature-resolved in-source PYMS. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Processes, vol. 118–119, pp. 755–787.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Faix, O., Meier, D. and Fortmann, I. (1988) Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of two trimeric lignin model compounds with alkyl-aryl ether structure. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, Vol. 14, pp. 135–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Faix, O., Meier, D. and Grobe, I. (1987) Studies on isolated lignins and lignins in woody materials by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and off-line pyrolysis-gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, Vol. 11, pp. 403–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Meier, D., Berns, J., Grünwald, C. and Faix, O. (1993) Analytical pyrolysis and semicontinuous catalytic hydropyrolysis of Organocell lignin. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, Vol. 25, pp. 335–347.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Faix, O., Meier, D. and Fortmann, I. (1990) Thermal degradation products of wood. Gas chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric characterization of monomelic lignin-derived products. Holz Roh-Werkst., vol. 48, pp. 281–289.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Faix, O., Fortmann, L., Bremer, J. and Meier, D. (1991) Thermal degradation products of wood. A collection of electron-impact (EI) mass spectra of polysaccharide-derived products. Holz Roh- Werkst., Vol. 49, pp. 299–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Piskorz, J., Scott, D.S. and Radlein, D. (1988) Composition of oils obtained by fast pyrolysis of different woods. ACS Symp. Ser., Vol. 376, pp. 167–178.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Farcasiu, M. (1977) Fractionating and structural characterization of coal liquids. Fuel, Vol. 56, pp. 9–14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Achladas, G.E. (1991) Analysis of biomass pyrolysis liquids: separation and characterization of phenols. J. Chromatogr., Vol. 542, pp. 263–275.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Pakdel, H. and Roy, C. (1991) Hydrocarbon content of liquid products and tar from pyrolysis and gasification of wood. Energy Fuels, Vol. 5, pp. 427–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Meier, D., Wulzinger, P. and Faix, O. (1995) Chemicals recovery from flash pyrolysis oils, Biomass for Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Industry, (eds. Chartier, P., Beenackers, AACM., Grassi, G.), Pergamon, pp. 1875–1880.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Wood Chemistry and Technology of Wood, Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products, Hamburg, Germany

    D. Meier

  2. Technical Research Centre, VTT Energy, Espoo, Finland

    A. Oasmaa

  3. Energy Research Group, Aston University, Birmingham, England

    G. V. C. Peacocke

Authors
  1. D. Meier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Oasmaa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. V. C. Peacocke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Aston University, Birmingham, UK

    A. V. Bridgwater (Director of the Energy Research Group) (Director of the Energy Research Group)

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    D. G. B. Boocock (Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry) (Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Meier, D., Oasmaa, A., Peacocke, G.V.C. (1997). Properties of Fast Pyrolysis Liquids: Status of Test Methods. In: Bridgwater, A.V., Boocock, D.G.B. (eds) Developments in Thermochemical Biomass Conversion. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1559-6_31

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1559-6_31

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7196-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1559-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation