Pyrolysis of beet pulp in a fluidized bed reactor

•Pyrolysis of two beet pulps in fluidized bed reactor.•High concentrations of levoglucosan in bio-oil from cellulose beads.•Inhibition of levoglucosan formation by ash.•Increase of glycolaldehyde and hydroxyacetone due to ash.

The pyrolysis behaviour of two different beet pulps was studied in a fluidized bed reactor. Cellulose beads were pyrolyzed as a reference material. Four reaction temperatures, ranging from 673 to 823 K were studied. The distribution of product phases and the composition of the bio-oils were affected by the different raw materials.