Pine sawdust

Fast pyrolysis of pine sawdust in a small vortex reactor operating at 10 to 20 kg/h and 480 to 520 °C produces high yields of primary pyrolysis oils (over 55% by weight on a dry basis). The vortex reactor transmits very high heat fluxes to the sawdust, causing primarily depolymerization of the constituent polymers into monomers and oligomers. A preliminary scheme separates the raw oils into a carbohydrate-derived aqueous fraction and a phenolic-rich ethyl acetate (EA) soluble fraction. The EA fraction is washed with water and with aqueous sodium bicarbonate to remove acids yielding 20% to 25% of the feed as phenols and neutrals (P/N) in the EA solution. 

Figure 3. Pine sawdust pyrolysis oil fractionation scheme. Yields are on a dry basis.

Figure 5. High-performance size exclusion chromatograms of pine sawdust pyrolysis oils and fractions of acids, phenols, and neutrals contained in the ethyl acetate soluble oil.

Figure 6. CP/MAS 13C-NMR of novolaks a) phenol-formaldehyde b) phe-nol phenols/neutrals (1 1) pine sawdust pyrolysis oil fraction and formaldehyde.

Fast pyrolysis of biomass provides a method for the production of phenolics that has the potential to replace at least 50% or more of the phenol in phenol-formaldehyde thermosetting resins. The gel tests indicate that the P/N fractions from pine sawdust pyrolysis with paraformaldehyde have shorter gel times than commercial plywood resins such as Cascophen 313, even without prepolymer formation. A novolak formulation has been prepared using 1 1 by volume of phenol and P/N fraction and about half of the amount of formaldehyde that would be used than if phenol alone were employed. Very promising resols have also been made with a similar substitution of the P/N fraction for phenol. Wood testing and resin formulation development are ongoing activities. The projected economics suggest that additional research and development of this process are fully warranted. 

Figure 7. Amortized costs of phenolics and neutrals fraction from pine sawdust pyrolysis calculated as a function of feedstock cost and plant size. Note that the calculations include costs associated with all feedstock preparation as if this were an independent plant.

Single-layer boards of local pine sawdust, 3/8 in thick. 

Garcia L., Salvador M.L., Arauzo J., Bilbao R. (1999) Catalytic Steam Gasification of Pine Sawdust, Effect of Catalyst Weight/Biomass Flow Rate and Steam/Biomass Ratios on Gas Production and Composition, Energy Fuels, 13 (4), 851-859. 

The biomass used was pine sawdust with a moisture content of about 10% and a particle size of -350+150 pm. The results of the elemental analysis (in % mass) of the pine sawdust are carbon 48.27%, hydrogen 6.45%, nitrogen 0.09%, and oxygen (by difference) 45.19%. 

Garcia, L, Salvador, M.L. Arauzo, J. Bilbao, R. (1998) Influence of Catalyst Weight/Biomass Flow Rate Ratio on Gas Production in the Catalytic Pyrolysis of Pine Sawdust at Low Temperatures, ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 37, 3812-3819,... 

The detailed description of that apparatus is shown elsewhere The following parameters and operating conditions were used for fixed bed, SOmm i. d., 450mm in height, bed temperature 500-900 °C for pine sawdust particle 0-1 mm in diameter,... 

The relation of weight-loss and ten rature variation at pine sawdust pyrolysis by thermogravimetry is shown in Fig. 2, where the continuous line is predicted result by model and the symbols are the experimental values. As constant heating rate is considered, the correlation of weight loss and tenq erature variation represents weight-loss evolution history. As can be seen from this figure, the kinetic model predicts well the weight-loss and tenqierature variation. 

Fig. 2. Weight-loss versus temperature variations for pine sawdust pyrolysis at constant heating rate of SO °C / min. Dots, experimental data solid line, model...

The apparatus used to study densification by compression is shown in Figure 1 (a). It consists of a steel die and piston 2.5 cm in diameter capable of being heated to various temperatures during pressing. The travel of the piston was measured as a function of applied pressure. Ten-gram samples of minus 10 mesh pine sawdust dried at 110 C were held at temperature for 15 min after initial cold compaction at 200 psi, and the pressure was then increased in 300-psi increments to 10,000 psi. The resulting densities are shown as a function of pressure in Figure 2 for temperatures from 100-225 C, Runs were made also at 250 and 300 C, but wood was heavily pyrolyzed in the process and the results were discarded. 

Table n. Heats of Combustion of Pine Sawdust and Pellets Made at Various Temperatures at 10,000 psi Pressure ... 

Sugar Cane Bagasse Pine Sawdust Almond Shells Grape Stalks... 

Ozacor M, engil iA. A kinetic study of metal complex dye sorption onto pine sawdust. Process Biochem 2005 40 565-72. 

Pinelo, M., Rubilar, M., Sineiro, J., and Nunez, M.J., Extraction of antioxidant phenolics from almond hulls (Prunus amygdalus) and pine sawdust Pinus pinaster). Food Chem., 85, 267-273, 2004. 

Wood particles were provided by a particleboard producer (Sonae Industria, Oliveira do Hospital Plant, Portugal), and a standard mix of wood particles was used for the face layer and core layer. The standard mix included about 30% maritime pine (Pinus Pinaster), 15% eucalypt Eucalyptus Globulus), 25% pine sawdust and 30% recycled wood. Wood particles with 4% of moisture content were blended with the resins and paraffin in a laboratory glue blender. The UF resins were applied at 8% resin solids in both the face and core layers, based on the oven-dry weight of the respective particles. The resin formation was more catalyzed in the core layer (3% solids based on oven-dry weight of resin) than in the face layer (1% solids based on oven-dry weight of resin). 

BTO [Biomass-To-Olefins] A process for converting lignocellulose to olefins developed by Exelus, NJ. Tested with pine sawdust, paulownia, and switchgrass. The biomass is first deconstructed to oligosaccharides that are then hydrolyzed to glucose. This is selectively deoxygenated to short-chain alcohols that are then dehydrated to their respective olefins. 

Park HJ, Heo HS, Jeon J-K, Kim J, Ryoo R, Jeong K-E, et al. Highly valuable chemicals production from catalytic upgrading of radiata pine sawdust-derived pyrolytic vapors over mesoporous MEI zeolites. Appl Catal B 2010 95 365-73. 

Elliott, D.C., Hart, T.R., Neuenschwander, G.G., Rotness, L.J., Olarte, M.V., Zacher, A.H., Solantausta, Y., 2012. Catalytic hydroprocessing of fast pyrolysis bio-oil from pine sawdust. Energy Euels 26, 3891—3896. 

In the present work CcosZro 5O2 was prepared by the following method pine sawdust (wood biomass with the approximate size of 0.63-1.25 mm) was impregnated by solution of Ce and Zr nitrates in the ratio sawdust mixed oxide = 10 1 and the dried resultant system was calcined at 600°C during 4 hours to give, in a direct and simple manner, the material of desirable and predictable porosity, avoiding the use of additional chemicals in the process. The sample obtained with the help of sawdust is indicated as biomorphic. For comparison Ce-Zr oxide of the same composition was prepared by traditional coprecipitation method and calcined in the same conditions. 

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