A Comparative Analysis of Bio-Oil Collected Using an Electrostatic Precipitator from the Pyrolysis of Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus, and Poplar Biomass
Manish Sakhakarmy, Ayden Kemp, Bijoy Biswas, Sagar Kafle, Sushil Adhikari
Abstract
The conversion of biomass into bio-oil through the pyrolysis process offers numerous benefits, such as bio-fuel and bio-resin synthesis. However, for bio-oil usage for any application, understanding its composition is vital. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of different commonly available woody biomass (Douglas fir, eucalyptus, and poplar) on bio-oil composition. The bio-oil was produced through fast pyrolysis at 500 °C in a fluidized bed reactor and collected using an electrostatic precipitator. The chemical composition was analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, and the hydroxyl groups were quantified using phosphorous-31 nuclear magnetic resonance. The poplar bio-oil had the most significant proportion (67 area%) of lignin-derived compounds and the highest OH concentration (6 mmol g−1). However, the proportion of carbohydrate-derived compounds was the largest (44 area %) in bio-oil produced from Douglas fir. Based on the OH concentration, poplar would be the most suitable feedstock for resin synthesis among the three feedstocks tested.