Catalytic pyrolysis of Paulownia wood and bio-oil characterization

ABSTRACT

This study focused on the catalytic pyrolysis of Paulownia (P. elongota) wood. The effects of ZSM-5, Na₂CO₃, sepiolite, and catalyst ratio (10–80% by wood weight) on product yields and bio-oil composition were investigated. In pyrolysis experiments, 500°C pyrolysis temperature, 50°C min⁻¹ heating rate, and 100 mL min⁻¹ N₂ flow rate were kept as constant. The catalyst type and catalyst ratio changed the product yields and bio-oil compositions. Pyrolysis conversion was increased for all catalyst types. Maximum liquid product yields were obtained as 63.26 wt%, 56.18 wt%, and 54.59 wt% with the ZSM-5, Na₂CO₃ and sepiolite, respectively, at 10 wt% catalyst ratio. For all catalysts, it was determined that the liquid and solid yields reduce and the gas product yield rises with the catalyst ratio. The bio-oil characterization was performed with elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹HNMR, and GC-MS techniques. The bio-oil composition was determined to consist of alkanes, carboxylic acids, ketones, esters, benzenes, and phenols.

KEYWORDS:

• Catalytic pyrolysis
• catalyst
• ZSM-5
• Na₂CO₃
• sepiolite

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15567036.2023.2289563

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Derya Yildiz

Dr. Derya Yıldız has been working at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Department of Chemical Engineering since 2009. She completed her PhD at Eskişehir Osmangazi University in 2015. She is still working on renewable energy at Eskişehir Osmangazi University.

Sait Yorgun

Prof. Dr. Sait Yorgun has been working at Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Department of Chemical Engineering since 1994. He received his PhD degree from Istanbul Technical University in 1993. She is still working on renewable energy at Eskişehir Osmangazi University.