| Abstract
| - Several methods to control the water content of pyrolysis oil from fast pyrolysis of biomass were evaluatedexperimentally. Parameters varied were the operating temperature of the condenser, the gas load of thecondenser, and the moisture content of the feedstock. Experiments were performed in a continuous benchscale plant (1 kg/h intake) equipped with a fluidized bed reactor. Pine wood with moisture contents between0 wt % and 20 wt % (as-received basis) was used as feedstock. The mass balance closure was between 94wt % and 102 wt %, and the reproducibility of yields of identical experiments was good. Increasing thecondenser temperature (15−90 °C) and increasing the gas load (2.0−4.1 kg of gases/kg of vapors in thecondenser feed) of the condenser are both well suited to control the water content. However, decreasing thewater content by these measures always results in a loss of organic vapors, leading to a lower oil yield in thecondenser. Deep drying of the feedstock is beneficial; a lower moisture content of the feed results in less lossof organic vapors for the same water content of pyrolysis oil. Experimental results were compared with thepredictions of an equilibrium flash condensation model. Predictions of this equilibrium model are in goodagreement with the experimental results. All input parameters of the model (reactor yields and compositionof the organics in pyrolysis oil) can be measured, or are known, with sufficient accuracy.
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