Thermal conversion of glucose to aromatic hydrocarbons via pressurized secondary pyrolysis

Abstract: In this study, glucose, a primary building-block of biomass was subjected to secondary pyrolysis in a reactor that was retrofitted subsequent to a primary micro-pyrolysis reactor. It was observed that incorporation of a secondary reactor resulted in producing significant amounts of gasoline range hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbon yields improved further as a result of increasing pyrolysis reactor pressure and temperatures. The temperature of the secondary reactor was varied between 400 and 800°C and pressure between 0 and 150psi. This study indicates that secondary cracking of primary pyrolysis products of biomass oxygenates undergo gas-phase homogenous molecular restructuring. The result of this process is production of substantial amounts of thermodynamically stable gasoline-range hydrocarbons even in the absence of a catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]