Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Benzene, Toluene, and Xylenes

Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis is a rapid method to depolymerize lignocellulose to its constituent components of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. The pyrolysis reaction in absence of oxygen occurs at a very high heating rate to a targeted temperature of 400 to 600 °C for very short residence time. Vapors which are not condensed and are then contacted with a catalyst that is efficient to deoxygenate and aromatize the pyrolyzed biomass. One class of highly valuable material that is produced is a mixture of benzene, toluene, and xylenes. From this mixture, para-xylene is extracted for further upgrading to polyethylene terephthalate, a commodity polyester which has a demand in excess of 80 million tonnes/year. Addressed within this review is the catalytic fast pyrolysis, catalysts examined, process chemistry, challenges, and investigation of solutions.

Effect of Pyrolysis Reactions on Coal and Biomass Gasification Process

Thermodynamic analysis of a gasification process was conducted assuming that it is composed of two successive stages, namely: pyrolysis reaction followed by a stage of gasification reaction. This approach allows formulation the models of selected gasification processes dominating in industrial applications namely: Shell (coal), SES (coal), and DFB (dual fluid bed, biomass) gasification. It was shown that the enthalpy of fuel formation is essential for the correctness of computed results. The specific computational formula for a wide range of fuels enthalpy of formation was developed. The following categories were evaluated in terms of energy balance: total reaction enthalpy of gasification process, enthalpy of pyrolysis reaction, enthalpy of gasification reaction, heat demand for pyrolysis reaction, and heat demand for gasification reactions. The discussion of heat demand for particular stages of gasification related to the various processes was performed concluding the importance of the pyrolysis stage.

Pyrolysis Reaction Kinetics of Styrofoam Plastic Waste

Pyrolysis at the temperature range of 170 °C-237 °C against polystyrene (Styrofoam) type plastic waste is carried out without a catalyst and added a catalyst. The purpose of this research was to study the reaction kinetics of Styrofoam pyrolysis to liquid smoke products. Pyrolysis using a series of tools made of glass to observe the processes that occur in the reactor. The results showed that Styrofoam pyrolysis for liquid smoke products without catalyst and added catalyst took place in the first-order reaction. The kinetics of the pyrolysis reaction without a catalyst to observe the formation of liquid smoke products obtained by the equation of the reaction constant following the Arrhenius equation k = Ae2111.4 / T, with an activation energy value (Ea) of 17.554 x 103 kJ/mol and pyrolysis using a catalyst obtained k = Ae10330/T, with an activation energy value (Ea) of 85.883x103 kJ/mol. Using catalysts during pyrolysis will reduce the temperature so that the reaction will be slow.

Thermogravimetric Kinetics Study of Scrap Tires Pyrolysis Using Silica Embedded With NiO and/or MgO Nanocatalysts

In this study, a set of three new silica-based embedded with NiO and/or MgO nanocatalysts (SBNs) have been prepared and tested for the pyrolysis of scrap tires (STs). The intent is to identify and optimize the best nanocatalyst that decreases the operating temperature and speeds up the pyrolysis reaction rate. The influence of the three prepared SBNs nanocatalysts on STs was scrutinized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The kinetic triplets were estimated utilizing the isoconversional method of the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW) corrected model. Experimental TGA and FT-IR results showed a thermal decomposition of all volatile organic additives alongside the polyvinyl compounds at a lower temperature in the presence of these SBNs. However, a competitive decomposition behavior appeared for each SBN nanocatalysts. The kinetic triplets’ findings showed different effective activation energy trends at two different conversion regions (low and high conversions), suggesting different reaction mechanisms confirmed by the reaction kinetic models. Interestingly, NiO-MgO-SBNs showed the highest reaction rate for this thermo-pyrolysis of STs, which could be because of synergetic interaction between NiO and MgO nanoparticles. Moreover, the results of the change in Gibbs free energy of activation (ΔG‡) indicated the promising catalytic activity for those SBNs by promoting the spontaneity of pyrolysis reaction. These proof-of-concept findings could promote the futuristic use of NiO-MgO-SBNs at the industrial level toward sustainable ST pyrolysis.