Production and characterization of bio-oil from camelthorn plant using slow pyrolysis

Abstract

In this study, slow pyrolysis of the camelthorn plant process was conducted to produce bio-oil, biochar, and gas. The pyrolysis process was conducted between 400 and 550 °C under pressure 10 bar using a fixed bed reactor. The pyrolysis products were bio-oil, biogas, and biochar. These products were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) model, gas analyzer, chromatographic analysis using GC–MS, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The GC–MS results demonstrated composition of bio-oil, detecting several organic substances including levoglucosan, furan, acetic acid, phenol, and long-chain hydrocarbon. To further understand the chemical composition of bio-oil, FT-IR spectroscopy was conducted to determine functional groups. The thermal behavior and degradation of the camelthorn sample were studied using TGA which provided thermal stability and prospective applications. Gas composition was measured using a gas analyzer. These analytical methods’ results offer insight on the camelthorn plant’s potential as a sustainable bio-oil and biochar sources, and these findings contribute to the advancement of biomass conversion expertise and provide vital insights for sustainable energy production.