Pyrolysis of pine needles: effects of process parameters on products yield and analysis of products

Pyrolysis of pine needles was carried out in a semi-batch reactor. The effects of pyrolysis parameters such as temperature (350–650 °C), heating rate (10 and 50 °C min^?1), nitrogen flow rate (50–200 cm³ min^?1) and biomass particle size (0.25–1.7 mm) were examined on products yield. Maximum bio-oil yield of 43.76% was obtained at pyrolysis temperature of 550 °C with a heating rate of 50 °C min^?1, nitrogen flow rate of 100 cm³ min^?1 for biomass particle size of 0.6 < d _p < 1 mm. The characterization of pyrolysis products (bio-oil, bio-char) has been made through different instrumental methods like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis. The empirical formula of the bio-oil and bio-char was found as CH_1.47O_0.36N_0.005 and CH_0.56O_0.28N_0.013 with heating value of 26.25 and 25.50 MJ kg^?1, respectively. Results show that bio-oil can be potentially valuable as a renewable fuel after upgrading and can be used as a feedstock for valuable chemicals production. The properties of bio-char reveal that it can be used as solid fuels, as a cheap adsorbent and as a feedstock for activated carbon production.