Catalytic Pyrolysis of Biomass in a Fluidized Bed Reactor: Influence of the Acidity of H-Beta Zeolite

Catalytic pyrolysis of pine biomass was carried out in a fluidized bed reactor at 450°C. The acidic catalysts used as bed material in the reactor were β-zeolites with varying silica to alumina ratio, thus having different acid strengths. Quartz sand was used as bed material in the non-catalytic experiment. The yield of the different product phases was clearly influenced by the zeolites acidity. The chemical composition of the bio-oil was dependent on the catalyst. Zeolites with stronger acidity formed less organic oil, and respectively more water and polyaro-matic hydrocarbons than less acidic zeolites.