Pyrolysis oil is a complex mixture primarily composed of oxygenated hydrocarbons and water. It also includes additional components such as solid char, reactive species from hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin decomposition, and various organic compounds.
6 Key Elements Explained
1. Oxygenated Hydrocarbons and Water
Pyrolysis oil contains a significant proportion of water, typically around 20-30% by weight. This water comes from both the original moisture in the biomass and the reaction products during pyrolysis. The main constituents are oxygenated hydrocarbons, which result from the decomposition of biomass components like hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin under oxygen-deficient conditions.
2. Solid Char
In addition to the liquid components, pyrolysis oil may also contain solid char. Char is a byproduct of the pyrolysis process and is composed of carbon. The amount of char present can vary depending on the specifics of the pyrolysis process.
3. Reactive Species
The oil is rich in reactive species that originate from the rapid heating and quenching of biomass. These species include aliphatic and aromatic compounds, phenols, aldehydes, levoglucosan, hydroxyacetaldehyde, and various hydrocarbon chains. These compounds contribute to the oil's instability and its tendency to undergo changes over time, such as increasing viscosity and potential phase separation.
4. Organic Compounds
Pyrolysis oil contains several hundred different chemicals in varying proportions. These range from simple compounds like formaldehyde and acetic acid to more complex high molecular weight phenols and oligosaccharides. The presence of these compounds gives the oil its distinctive acrid, smoky smell and corrosive properties.
5. Bio-oil and Tar
Within the liquid products of pyrolysis, there are distinctions between bio-oil and tar. Bio-oil is composed of organic compounds with lower molecular weights and is less viscous than tar. Tar, on the other hand, is a dark brown or black viscous liquid composed of hydrocarbons and free carbon. While closely related, bio-oil is generally considered more pure than tar and requires purification for commercial use.
6. Instability and Aging
Due to its composition of intermediate, reactive decomposition products, pyrolysis oil is generally unstable and can change over time. This aging process is marked by an increase in viscosity and potential phase separation, caused by condensation reactions of the reactive components. Heating the oil above 100°C can lead to rapid reactions, producing a solid residue and distillate containing volatile organic compounds and water.
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