Synthesis gas production by biomass pyrolysis: Effect of reactor temperature on product distribution

This paper describes mass, C, H, and O balances for wood chips pyrolysis experiments performed in a tubular reactor under conditions of rich H2 gas production (700–1000 °C) and for determined solid heating rates (20–40 °C s−1). Permanent gases (H2, CO, CH4, CO2, C2H4, C2H6), water, aromatic tar (10 compounds from benzene to phenanthrene and phenols), and char were considered in the balance calculations. Hydrogen (H) from dry wood is mainly converted into CH4 (more than 30% mol. of H at 900 °C), H2 (from 9% to 36% mol. from 700 to 1000 °C), H2O, and C2H4. The molar balances showed that the important yield increase of H2 from 800 to 1000 °C (0.10 Nm3 kg−1 to 0.24 Nm3 kg−1 d.a.f. wood) cannot be solely explained by the analyzed hydrocarbon compounds conversion (CH4, C2, aromatic tar). Possible mechanisms of H2 production from wood pyrolysis are discussed.