Fast pyrolysis liquids

Chiaramonti, D., Oasmaa, A. and Solantausta, Y. (2007). Power Generation Using Fast Pyrolysis Liquids From Biomass. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 11, 1056-1086. 

Chiaramonti D, Oasmaa A, Solantausta Y. Power generation using fast pyrolysis liquids from biomass. Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev. 2007 11 1056-85. 

A Comparison of Using Wood Pellets and Fast Pyrolysis Liquid Industrially for Heat Production within Stockholm... 

Fast pyrolysis liquid may be envisioned to replace either light or heavy fuel oil. Typically these oils are used as boiler and engine power plant fuels. 

Table 4 Representative chemical composition of fast pyrolysis liquid Major Components Mass %... 

Fast pyrolysis liquid has a higher heating value of about 17 MJ/kg as produced with about 25% wt. water that cannot readily be separated. The liquid is often referred to as "oil" or "bio-oil" or "bio-crude" although it will not mix with any hydrocarbon liquids. It is composed of a complex mixture of oxygenated compounds that provide boA the potential and challenge for utilisation. There are some important characteristics of this liquid that are summarised in Table 5 and discussed briefly below. 

Bandi A, Baumgart F, Stirling engine with flox burner fuelled with fast pyrolysis with fast pyrolysis liquid , These proceedings... 

Meier D, Andersens B, Irbe L Tshirkova J, Faix O, Preliminary study of fungicide and sorption effects of fast pyrolysis liquids used as wood preservative , These proceedings... 

Bandi A., and F, Baumgart (2000), Fast pyrolysis liquid feed to a FLOX burner. In Proceedings of Progress in Thermo-chemical Biomass Conversion, Tyrol, Austria, 17-20 September. 

Meier D. Scholze B, (1997) Fast pyrolysis liquid characteristics. In Biomass. Gci. iificanon and Pyrolysis, (Ed, by M. Kaltschmitt A. V, Bridgwater), CLP Press, UK, 431,... 

Stirling Engine with Flox Burner Fuelled With Fast Pyrolysis Liquid... 

ABSTRACT Fast pyrolysis liquid was combusted with a modified propane gas FLOX burner (WS) mounted to a Stirling CHP unit (SOLO 25 kW ). The propane burner was modified by an air pressure atomiser designed for pyrolysis liquids. Nearly 110 hours of operation with different fuel loads have been achieved, engine performance and emissions were recorded. The Stirling tests proved that pyrolysis liquids can be burned efficiently and with low emissions in a FLOX mode operating burner attached to a Stirling CHP unit. 

Oasmaa, A. Meier, D, (1999). Analysis, characterization, and test methods of fast pyrolysis liquids. In Biomass - a growth opportunity in green energy and value-added products. Vol. 2. Kidlington Elsevier Science. Pp. 1229 - 1234. 

ABSTRACT Biomass fast pyrolysis liquid is being developed for fuel and chemical applications, As these developments proceed, the liquid product is increasingly being transported by air, water, rail and road to satisfy user demands for products. This paper addresses the legislative requirements and regulations for the safe transport of this liquid. As biomass derived fast pyrolysis liquid is not on the UN approved carriage lists its own classification has been determined from the UN manual as ... 

Biomass derived fast pyrolysis liquid is now being actively produced for research, testing and evaluation purposes, for use as a chemical feedstock and/or as an alternative fuel for use in boilers, engines and turbines. 

As fast pyrolysis technologies develop, and utilisation of the liquid increases, there will be a greater demand for the transportation of the liquid by all possible routes. To ensure that the liquid is transported in a safe and environmentally secure manner, due care and attention must be taken to ensure that the appropriate national and international regulations are met. To this end, it is likely that fast pyrolysis liquid will be classed by the regulatory authorities as a "dangerous" or a "hazardous" substance for transportation purposes. 

The UK Department of Transport Dangerous Goods Division and the UK Health and Safety Executive were consulted to discuss the classification of this liquid for transport. ()). Based on discussions with these organisations, their opinion was that fast pyrolysis liquid would be classed as a "dangerous good" or hazardous material, due to the chemical conplexity and composition. 

The pyrolysis community may feel that the classification of fast pyrolysis liquid as "dangerous" or "hazardous" material does not reflect the true nature of the liquid. However, due to the highly variable chemical and physical properties, a wide spectrum of liquids must be considered. This paper addresses legislative requirements, transport, storage and handling of the liquid and the mitigation of spills. 

This paper and its recommendations applies only to biomass derived fast pyrolysis liquid, although it may well be equally applicable to other liquids such as carbonisation tars, gasification tars and other liquids produced by thermal processing of biomass or other solid materials or wastes. 

The scope of this legislative review pertains to the transportation of fast pyrolysis liquids In the EU, USA and Canada for all modes of transport. This paper cannot cover all the national regulations in force, however, most national transportation regulation are based on, or use the UN Regulations, as described below. 

The nature of fast pyrolysis liquid means that there is no "generic" analysis to cover the wide spectrum of liquids producible from biomass. In the UN or EU regulations, there is no classification for fast pyrolysis liquid or its derivatives, fractions or by-products. 

As noted in the introduction, a submission to the EC to have fast pyrolysis liquid listed in ADR, RID and ADN could take 2 to 3 years, dterefoie a self assessment of the substance was made, using the methods described in the UN Manual (2). It is also likely that the outcome of a submission would be that fast pyrolysis liquid would be classed as a "dangerous substance". The assessment of a substance as a dangerous good considers the chemical and physical properties of fast pyrolysis liquid and these are summarised below. 

Specific physical properties, if not known, can be determined to UN test methods (12). As fast pyrolysis liquid is not listed as a substance in its own right in ADR or the UN Regulations, it can be categorised with a not otiierwise specified [n.o.s.] classification. The relevant physical properties of the fast pyrolysis liquid used are given in Table 1, based upon average values in the literature. 

Table 1. Applicable hysical properties of fast pyrolysis liquid (13)...

From these properties, fast pyrolysis liquid is a Class 3 substance - Flammable Liquid. The exact specification is then related to its chemical conqiosition to determine its level of hazard, as described below. 

There are numerous refeieitces that include chemical analyses of fast pyrolysis liquids from a variety of sources, including slow pyrolysis tar, fast pyrolysis liquid and fractions thereof. As fast pyrolysis liquid may be raw, treated, filtered, catalytically derived, upgraded and dependent on the process parameters, a "worst case" must be taken for the liquid compositioii, i.e. high variability. As noted, fast pyrolysis liquid falls within Class 3, based on its physical properties, however, this is further complicated by the presence of other chemicals that are in Class 6.1 - Toxic substances [phenols, etc.] which ate in concentrations above 0.1 wt%. A typical analysis of several fast pyrolysis liquids from different laboratories is given in Table 2. 

To this end, the following generic classification is proposed based on the guidance in the UN Manual and the ADR for basic labelling purposes. The nearest UN n.o.s. classification that can be used [with the addition of "Fast Pyrolysis Liquid"] is ... 

Only two chemical groupings need to be indicated for the conqionents conqirising the most significant risk. This classification is an interim classification until an application is made to the European Union for the inclusion of fast pyrolysis liquid on the dangerous goods list. This classification should be used on all labels and for all sizes of shipments, in particular on the transportation documents and the MSDS. For tank containers, and bulk shipments, additional placarding is required and this is discussed below. 

Table 3, Minimum Package requirements for Fast pyrolysis liquid...

Each package shall be clearly marked with the substance identification number of the goods to be entered in the transport document, preceded by the letters "UN". For fast pyrolysis liquid, this classification is 1993. 

Figure 1. Labels for fast pyrolysis liquid receptacles...

Fast pyrolysis liquid should not be shipped with other dangerous goods. Up to 5 litres [inner packaging] may be shipped with goods not subject to the provisions of ADR, provided they do not react dangerously with each other. Fast pyrolysis liquid shall not be packed together with substances and articles of Classes 1 and 5.2 [explosives substances and articles and organic peroxides respectively, other than hardeners and compound systems] and material of class 7 [radioactive material]. 

Last load 1993 Flammable liquid [Fast Pyrolysis Liquid], l°(a)... 

HANDLING AND STORAGE OF FAST PYROLYSIS LIQUID HANDLING OF FAST PYROLYSIS LIQUID... 

Staff should always wear personal protective clothing and equipment e.g. eye protection, face protection, aprons, gloves, protective boots, whenever handling fast pyrolysis liquid, in particular vdien handling large quantities ... 

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