title: Application of biomass pyrolytic polygeneration technology using retort reactors.
abstract: To introduce application status and illustrate the good utilisation potential of biomass pyrolytic polygeneration using retort reactors, the properties of major products and the economic viability of commercial factories were investigated. The capacity of one factory was about 3000t of biomass per year, which was converted into 1000t of charcoal, 950,000Nm(3) of biogas, 270t of woody tar, and 950t of woody vinegar. Charcoal and fuel gas had LHV of 31MJ/kg and 12MJ/m(3), respectively, indicating their potential for use as commercial fuels. The woody tar was rich in phenols, while woody vinegar contained large quantities of water and acetic acid. The economic analysis showed that the factory using this technology could be profitable, and the initial investment could be recouped over the factory lifetime. This technology offered a promising means of converting abundant agricultural biomass into high-value products.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
authors.forename: Haiping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
authors.forename: Yingquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of New Energy Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China; Department of New Energy Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
authors.forename: Hanping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D002606:Charcoal; D007449:Investments; D010636:Phenols; D013638:Tars / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D010636:Phenols; D013638:Tars; D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Biogas; Biomass pyrolytic polygeneration; Char; NPV; Retort reactor