Bio-oil production from Onopordum acanthium L. by slow pyrolysis

In this study, the usability of the plant thistle, Onopordum acanthium L., belonging to the family Asteraceae (Compositae), in liquid fuel production has been investigated. The experiments were performed in a fixed-bed Heinze pyrolysis reactor to investigate the effects of heating rate, pyrolysis temperature and sepiolite percentage on the pyrolysis product yields and chemical compositions. Experiments were carried out in a static atmosphere with a heating rate of 7 degrees C/min and 40 degrees C/min, pyrolysis temperature of 350, 400, 500, 550 and 700 degrees C and particle size of 0.6 < D-p < 0.85 mm. Catalyst experiments were conducted in a static atmosphere with a heating rate of 40 degrees C/min, pyrolysis temperature of 550 degrees C and particle size of 0.6 < D-p < 0.85 mm. Bio-oil yield increased from 18.5% to 27.3% with the presence of 10% of sepiolite catalyst at pyrolysis temperature of 550 degrees C, with a heating rate of 40 degrees C/min, and particle size of 0.6 < D-p < 0.85 mm. It means that the yield of bio-oil was increased at around 48.0% after the catalyst added. Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies on the bio-oil showed that the oil obtained from O. acanthium L could be used as a renewable fuels and chemical feedstock. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.