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Molten chloride salt pyrolysis of biomass: Effects of temperature and mass ratio of molten salt to biomass

Author

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  • Ali, Mujahid
  • Mahmood, Faisal
  • Magoua Mbeugang, Christian Fabrice
  • Tang, Jiazhen
  • Xie, Xing
  • Li, Bin

Abstract

Molten salt pyrolysis of biomass can effectively solve the heat supply/transfer bottleneck issue during biomass pyrolysis and simultaneously produce value-added products. This study aims to explore the influences of temperature (500–800 °C) and mass ratio of molten salt to biomass (MS:B, i.e., 0:1, 10:1, and 15:1) on the molten chloride salts (ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl) pyrolysis of pine sawdust. It was found that ZnCl2-NaCl-KCl significantly enhanced dehydrogenation and decarboxylation reactions, yielding high contents of H2 (41.52–54.58 vol%) and CO2 in non-condensable gas. The biochar yield from molten chloride salts pyrolysis was nearly doubled possibly due to enhanced dehydration and dehydrogenation/condensation by ZnCl2 in the salts at all testing temperatures. A highly porous biochar with a BET surface area of 738.38 m2/g could be directly obtained from molten chloride salts pyrolysis at lower temperature of 500 °C with a MS:B of 10:1. The molten chloride salts altered the reaction pathway of pine sawdust pyrolysis, leading to a significantly different bio-oil composition. A high content of linear carbonyls of 93.95 % was detected in bio-oil with MS:B of 10:1 at 500 °C due to the high alkali metal ions facilitating the ring opening/scission of sugar units. While temperature increasing promoted linear carbonyls/acids undergo decarbonylation, decarboxylation and further dehydrogenation/aromatization, a high content of phenols and aromatics of 83.21 % was obtained with MS:B of 15:1 at 800 °C. This study shows a prospect to directly produce a H2-rich gas, a porous biochar, and a high selectivity bio-oil through a one-step method of molten chloride salts pyrolysis of biomass.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali, Mujahid & Mahmood, Faisal & Magoua Mbeugang, Christian Fabrice & Tang, Jiazhen & Xie, Xing & Li, Bin, 2025. "Molten chloride salt pyrolysis of biomass: Effects of temperature and mass ratio of molten salt to biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:316:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225002762
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134634
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