Fast pyrolysis involves the thermochemical conversion of biomass at 400C � 600C that results in three main products:  bio-oil, syngas, and biochar.  Current research focuses on upgrading the liquid bio-oil further into renewable transportation fuels while the other co-products syngas and biochar are considered less valuable and generally undesired. The syngas has CO, H2, H2O and CO2 are used as activating agent to prepared high quanlity activated carbon from biochar. The impact of composition in syngas (i.e. H2, CO, H2O and CO2 amount and ratio) on biochar activation kinetics was investigated. After activation with syngas, super-microporous activated carbon was prepared from woody based biochar. The super-microporous activated carbon shown higher energy storage capacity as electrode materials in super capacitors.In addition, combustion of the syngas could supply additional process heat required for the endothermic pyrolysis reaction and would produce flue gas components that primarily consist of carbon dioxide and water vapor.  Flue gas atmospheres are investigated for the use as an activating agent to further upgrade the solid biochar co-product into activated carbon.  The upgraded adsorbent materials have similar pore characteristics and BET specific surface area comparable to conventional activated carbon materials currently used for the purification of potable water.  The flue gas is an inexpensive and readily available activating agent for the further upgrading of biochar.  Another value added product increases the economic potential of thermochemical conversion pathways for producing renewable transportation fuels and sustainable purification materials for water treatment.

Kinetics of biochar activation in biosyngas atmosphere, impact of CO2, H2O, H2 and CO on porous structure of activated carbon

244th National Meeting (2012)

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