Catalytic Pyrolysis of Pine Biomass Over H-Beta Zeolite in a Dual-Fluidized Bed Reactor: Effect of Space Velocity on the Yield and Composition of Pyrolysis Products

A dual-fluidized bed reactor was applied in the pyrolysis of pine wood and catalytic upgrading of the pyrolysis vapors over H-Beta zeolite. The temperatures of the pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading reactors were 400 and 440 degrees C, respectively. The effect of space velocity on the yield and composition of pyrolysis products was investigated. It was found that the catalytic upgrading affects all pyrolysis products, except the char yield which can be considered constant at all space velocities. By lowering the space velocity the gas, water and coke yields increased at the cost of the organic phase of the bio-oil. The coke yield was fairly high, 11 wt% of the biomass, at the lowest space velocity. The spent catalysts could be regenerated by burning away the formed coke and thereby regaining the surface area and most of the acid sites.