Thermochemical Processing of Biomass for Energy Applications
Summary
Thermochemical conversion encompasses pyrolysis, gasification and combustion to transform biomass into heat, fuels and chemicals. Feedstocks range from woody residues to agricultural by-products, each presenting distinct moisture levels, volatile contents and ash compositions that influence conversion efficiency and product distribution. In pyrolysis, biomass is heated in an oxygen-limited environment to yield bio-oil, bio-char and combustible gases. Gasification operates at higher temperatures with controlled oxygen or steam, producing syngas rich in carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane for power generation or synthesis of liquid fuels. Combustion in excess oxygen directly produces heat and power, though ash-related fouling and slagging can impair operation. Pre-treatment methods—including washing, leaching and torrefaction—mitigate inorganic challenges, reducing alkali and chlorine compounds that cause corrosion and deposits. Advances in reactor design, catalyst development and process integration have improved energy yields and reduced emissions. Techno-economic assessments highlight pathways towards distributed small-scale units and large-scale biorefineries, underpinned by life-cycle analyses that demonstrate significant greenhouse-gas reductions versus fossil alternatives. The global drive for carbon neutrality and circular-economy principles has catalysed research into optimising feedstock blends, developing robust catalysts for tar minimisation and improving char utilisation for soil amendment and carbon sequestration, thereby enhancing the sustainability and economic viability of thermochemical bioconversion.
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Thermochemical Processing of Biomass for Energy Applications publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermochemical processing of biomass for energy applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bio-oil: A complex mixture of condensable organics produced by pyrolysis of biomass under oxygen-limited conditions.
Syngas: A synthesis gas composed primarily of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane generated during gasification of biomass.
Ash fusion temperature: The temperature at which inorganic constituents in biomass ash become sticky or molten, impacting fouling and slagging.
Levoglucosan: An anhydrosugar formed during fast pyrolysis of cellulose, valuable as a precursor for chemicals and polymers.
Fouling and slagging: Deposition of ash particles on heat-transfer surfaces (fouling) and formation of glassy solids in reactors (slagging), both detrimental to thermal processes.
References
- Improving inorganic composition and ash fusion behavior of spruce bark by leaching with water, acetic acid, and steam pre-treatment condensate. Chemical Engineering Journal (2023).
- Effect of different washing parameters on the fuel properties and elemental composition of wheat straw in water-washing pre-treatment. Part 1: Effect of washing duration and biomass size. Fuel (2021).
- Production and purification of crystallized levoglucosan from pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Green Chemistry (2019).
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