Flash pyrolysis of biomass: a review of recent advances

To assuage global consumer demand for energy, there is a need for increased biofuel production. Flash pyrolysis is an important technique for biomass conversion into eco-friendly biofuels. This review discusses the research progress and key findings made over the years on the flash pyrolysis of biomass. Flash pyrolysis oil yields can be as high as 60-75 wt% at optimised conditions. For the process to be effective, temperature, heating rate and residence time would be within the range of 450-600 degrees C,10(3) - 10(4) degrees C/s and < 1 s. Flash pyrolysis oil is characterised by high water content (usually > 15 wt%). The main pyrolysis products of lignin part biomass are phenols. The phenolic part includes phenols, hydroxylphenols, meothoxyphenols, dimethoxyphenols. Flash pyrolysis products of biomass (as with other pyrolysis types) must be upgraded before use. They are unstable, re-polymerised and are not miscible with hydrocarbons. The future of the technology is promising as products obtained can serve as better feedstock for other re-refining processes (compared to other pyrolysis process types). Furthermore, it is faster and can handle higher feedstock volumes at similar reactor volumes and process intricacies. Due to the advantages of product yield, it is an important technology that should be explored for energy conversion of biomass and can also serve as a solid waste management technique. [GRAPHICS] .