Production of Synthetic Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass - Biomass Gasification, Pyrolysis and Torrefaction - page 381

FIGURE 11.1 Bio-oil is a thick black tarry liquid.

TABLE 11.2 Composition of Bio-Oil

Major Group Compounds Mass (%)

Water 20 30

Lignin fragments Insoluble pyrolytic lignin 15 30

Aldehydes Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, hydroxyacetaldehyde,

glyoxal, methylglyoxal

10 20

Carboxylic acids Formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, pentanoic,

hexanoic, glycolic

10 15

Carbohydrates Cellobiosan, - D -levoglucosan, oligosaccharides,

1.6 anhydroglucofuranose

α 5 10

Phenols Phenol, cresols, guaiacols, syringols 2 5

Furfurals 1 4

Alcohols Methanol, ethanol 2 5

Ketones Acetol (1-hydroxy-2-propanone), cyclopentanone 1 5

Source: Adapted from Bridgwater et al. (2001), p. 989.