BIOMASS PYROLYSIS KINETICS: A REVIEW OF MOLECULAR-SCALE MODELING CONTRIBUTIONS

Abstract Decades of classical research on pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass has not yet produced a generalized formalism for design and prediction of reactor performance. Plagued by the limitations of experimental techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and extremely fast heating rates and low residence times to achieve high conversion to useful liquid products, researchers are now turning to molecular modeling to gain insights. This contribution briefly summarizes prior reviews along the historical path towards kinetic modeling of biomass pyrolysis and focusses on the more rece...