A review on operating parameters for optimum liquid oil yield in biomass pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is one of the potential routes to harness energy and useful chemicals from biomass. The major objective of biomass pyrolysis is to produce liquid fuel, which is easier to transport, store and can be an alternative to energy source. The yield and composition of pyrolysis oil depend upon biomass feedstock and operating parameters. It is often necessary to explore about the effect of variables on response yield and instinct about their optimization. This study reviews operating variables from existing literature on biomass pyrolysis. The major operating variables include final pyrolysis temperature, inert gas sweeping, residence times, rate of biomass heating, mineral matter, size of biomass particle and moisture contents of biomass. The scope of this paper is to review the influence of operating parameters on production of pyrolysis oil. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.