Technologies for Converting Biomass to Useful Energy

CHAPTER 8

Biomass pyrolysis for energy and fuel production

Efthymios Kantarelis, Weihong Yang & Wlodzimierz Blasiak

8.1 INTRODUCTION

Pyrolysis is the thermochemical decomposition of organic matter in the absence of oxygen and

produces a wide rangeof useful products.The wordis coined from the Greek-derived elements pyr

“π´υρ-fire” and lysis “λ´υσις-breakdown/separation” emphasizing the disintegration of matter due

to heat. It is a standalone process or one of several reaction steps in gasification and combustion

processes

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and is considered as the basic thermochemical process to produce valuable fuels and

energy from biomass. Pyrolysis is also known as ...