Fast hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass-Development of a plug-flow reactor

Abstract

Hydrothermal liquefaction is a promising technology for converting plant biomass directly to liquid with better fuel properties compared to traditional fast pyrolysis. The technology employs water, in subcritical conditions as reaction media, and therefore is very suitable for wet biomass feedstock including aquatic biomass and agricultural waste. However, the conversion efficiency and selectivity of the technology need to be improved. One way to meet the need is to apply of process intensification with regards to reactor design to, in the ideal case, give every single reactant particle identical experiences. With a proper reactor design, setting aside other benefits, heat and mass transfer of the reactor can be significantly improved, which in turn help improve the conversion efficiency and selectivity of the process. This project aims to develop a continuous plug-flow tubular reactor system, capable of handling fluid flow containing biomass particle and offering high heating rates.