The influence of catalyst regeneration on the composition of zeolite-upgraded biomass pyrolysis oils

The composition of oils derived from the on-line, low pressure zeolite upgrading of biomass pyrolysis oils from a fluidized bed pyrolysis unit have been investigated in relation to the regeneration of the zeolite catalyst. The catalyst used was H-ZSM-5 zeolite. The gases were analysed by packed column gas chromatography. The composition of the oils before catalysis and after catalyst upgrading were analysed by liquid chromatography fractionation, followed by coupled gas chromatography—mass spectrometry of each fraction. In particular, the aromatic and oxygenated aromatic species were identified and quantified. In addition, the oils were analysed for their elemental composition and molecular weight range using size exclusion chromatography. Before catalysis the biomass pyrolysis oil was highly oxygenated but after catalysis a highly aromatic oil was formed with high concentrations of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In addition, significant concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were formed. Regeneration of the zeolite catalyst showed that continued regeneration reduced the effectiveness of the catalyst in converting biomass pyrolysis oils to an aromatic product. Elemental analysis of the upgraded oils showed an increase in the oxygen content of the oil with increasing regeneration of the catalyst. The molecular weight range of the oils was found to decrease markedly after catalysis, but continued regeneration of the catalyst increased the molecular weight range of the upgraded oils. Detailed analysis of the uncatalysed oils showed they contained low concentrations of aromatic and PAH species which markedly increased in concentration after catalysis. The overall effect of increasing catalyst regeneration was a decrease in the concentration of aromatic hydrocarbons and PAH. Also as the catalyst was regenerated, the number of methyl groups on the parent single ring aromatic compound or PAH increased. The oxygenated aromatic species in the oil before catalysis were mainly, phenols and benzenediols and their alkylated homologues. After catalysis some of the oxygenated species were reduced and some increased in concentration. A dual mechanistic route is suggested for the formation of aromatics and PAH during the catalytic upgrading of biomass pyrolysis oils: (1) the formation of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons on the catalyst which then undergo aromatization reactions to produce aromatic hydrocarbons and PAH; (2) deoxygenation of oxygenated compounds found in the non-phenolic fraction of the pyrolysis oils which directly form aromatic compounds.