Difference between revisions of "Pyrolysis"

Produced pyrolysis oil is a multiphase emulsion composed of water and and hundrets of organic molecules such as acids, alcohols, ketones, furans, phenols, ethers, esters, sugars, aldehydes, alkenes, nitrogen- and oxygen- containing molecules. A longer storage or exposure to higher temperature increases the viscosity due to possible chemical reactions of the compounds in the oil which leads to the formation of larger molecules<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|author=Czernik, S. and Bridgwater|year=2004|title=Overview of Applications of Biomass Fast Pyrolysis Oil|journal=Energy & Fuels|volume=18|issue=2|page=590-598|doi=10.1021/ef034067u}}</ref>. The presence of oligomeric species with a molecular weight >5000 decreases the stability of the oil<ref name=":0" />, furthermore the formation of aerosols from volatile substances accelerates the aging process in which the water content and phase separation increases. The application as fuel in standard equipment for petroleum fuels (e.g. boilers, engines, turbines) may be limited due to poor volatility, high viscosity, coking, and corrosiveness of the oil<ref name=":1" />. To overcome these problems the pyrolysis oil has to be upgraded in a post-treatment to be used as fuel and/or the equipment for the end-application has to be adapted.