Review of synthetic fuels and new materials production based on pyrolysis technologies

Abstract

The production of synthetic fuels and new materials from biomass is a wide subject, and because of that, the author has decided to focus on thermochemical conversion processes, particularly pyrolysis, which is a widely used technology and one of the most promising for synthetic fuel production. The technology of pyrolysis is explained, as well as the differences between slow and fast pyrolysis. Fast pyrolysis technology is particularly promising for liquid fuel production and is specially processed, as are the types of pyrolysis reactors commonly used in practice, such as fluidized beds and ablative, vacuum and microwave reactors. According to the demand of certain technologies for the use of pyrolysis products for energy, some requirements in regard to the quality of the products are very strict, and technologies related to the use of catalysts and catalytic processes in pyrolysis have been analyzed. Liquid products of the pyrolysis process were analyzed from the perspective of content and use in the energy sector, as well as in the chemical industry. Analysis related to the gaseous products of pyrolysis and their use for energy purposes is also presented.