Rules of Thumb (Empirical Rules) for the Biomass Utilization by Thermochemical Conversion

Abstract

The rules of thumb for developing thermochemical conversion technology are introduced together with the fundamental rules of thumb for thermochemical conversion, which is the basic idea for these technologies. The target technologies are, (a) metal-impregnated wood treatment by carbonization, (b) fast pyrolysis, (c) supercritical water gasification and, (d) advanced biodiesel production. They are presented in tables in terms of the rule of thumb and its benefit. We hope those who are considering introduction of these technologies will find this paper useful for their plant design and system development. It also should be noted that the scientific background supports the rules of thumb for each technology, and, thus, knowing the rules of thumb will provide insight into the fundamental science of the technology.