Bio-oil production via fast pyrolysis of shrub residues in a fluidized-bed reactor

In this article, the shrub residues as raw materials were produced to fast pyrolysis oil (called bio-oil) in a 5-kg/h fluidized-bed reactor. The optimum conditions were obtained at 500 degrees C, flow rate of fluidizing gas of 4 m(3)/h, and feed rate of 3 kg/h. The liquid yield was up to 60% at the optimum conditions. The bio-oil was easy to divide into two phases: oil phase and aqueous phase. The high heat value of the oil phase was up to 18.55 MJ/kg, but the high heat value of the aqueous phase was only 0.72 MJ/kg. The oil phase and aqueous phase both have lower pH values. The oxygen content was up to 50%, while the sulfur and nitrogen content were very low. Owing to the higher oxygen content and lower pH value in liquid products, it must be further upgraded to bio-oil before application.