A catalyst is illustrated, which has 70-90 parts by weight of mica, 1-10 parts by weight of zeolite, 5-15 parts by weight of titanium dioxide, 1-10 parts by weight of aluminum oxide, 1-5 parts by weight of sodium oxide and 1-5 parts by weight of potassium oxide. The present disclosure also illustrates a pyrolysis device using the catalyst, and further illustrates a pyrolysis method using the catalyst and/or the pyrolysis device for thermally cracking an organic polymer.

Aromatic compounds are prepared from a feed stream comprising biomass or a mixture of biomass and synthetic polymer in a process, comprising: a) subjecting the feed stream to a pyrolysis treatment in the presence of a cracking catalyst to yield a vaporous fraction comprising hydrocarbons with olefinic unsaturation and oxygen containing organic compounds and coke-laden cracking catalyst; b) separating the vaporous fraction from the coke-laden cracking catalyst; c) contacting the vaporous fraction with a second, aromatization catalyst in a conversion treatment to yield a conversion product comprising aromatic compounds; and d) recovering aromatic compounds from the conversion product, wherein the cracking catalyst is a naturally occurring material, selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts, refractory oxides, minerals, industrial rock and mixtures thereof.

Aromatic compounds are prepared from a feed stream comprising biomass or a mixture of biomass and synthetic polymer in a process, comprising: a) subjecting the feed stream to a pyrolysis treatment in the presence of a cracking catalyst to yield a vaporous fraction comprising hydrocarbons with olefinic unsaturation and oxygen containing organic compounds and coke-laden cracking catalyst; b) separating the vaporous fraction from the coke-laden cracking catalyst; c) contacting the vaporous fraction with a second, aromatization catalyst in a conversion treatment to yield a conversion product comprising aromatic compounds; and d) recovering aromatic compounds from the conversion product, wherein the cracking catalyst is a naturally occurring material, selected from the group consisting of inorganic salts, refractory oxides, minerals, industrial rock and mixtures thereof.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of modifying thermoplastic properties of lignin rich biomass to reduce agglomeration during any subsequent pyrolysis. The method comprises providing a lignin rich biomass and treating the lignin rich biomass with an alkali metal hydroxide or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide under conditions effective to reduce agglomeration, during any subsequent pyrolysis, compared to when the lignin rich biomass is not subjected to said treating. Also disclosed is a method of fast pyrolysis using the product of this method of modifying the thermoplastic properties of lignin rich biomass.

The present disclosure relates generally to a two-stage biomass pyrolysis processes that maximize pyrolysis vapor yield from a lignocellulosic biomass while being conducive to commercial-scale throughput of biomass. A lignocellulosic feedstock is first pyrolyzed in a reactor first stage comprising at least one auger at a temperature and residence time that produces pyrolysis vapors derived predominantly from cellulose and hemi-cellulose fractions of the feedstock. Partially-pyrolyzed feedstock from the reactor first stage is then pyrolyzed in a reactor second stage at a higher temperature for an additional residence time to produce additional pyrolysis vapors that are predominantly derived from lignin. Certain embodiments arrange multiple reactor first stages around a single reactor second stage.

The present disclosure relates generally to a two-stage biomass pyrolysis processes that maximize pyrolysis vapor yield from a lignocellulosic biomass while being conducive to commercial-scale throughput of biomass. A lignocellulosic feedstock is first pyrolyzed in a reactor first stage comprising at least one auger at a temperature and residence time that produces pyrolysis vapors derived predominantly from cellulose and hemi-cellulose fractions of the feedstock. Partially-pyrolyzed feedstock from the reactor first stage is then pyrolyzed in a reactor second stage at a higher temperature for an additional residence time to produce additional pyrolysis vapors that are predominantly derived from lignin. Certain embodiments arrange multiple reactor first stages around a single reactor second stage.

Disclosed is a method for heating a biomass moving along an industrial treatment line including an inlet (1) for the incoming biomass, a heating unit (4), and a treatment station (5). A fraction of the biomass heated by the heating unit (4) is returned along a return branch (R) to a mixing station (2) upstream of the heating unit (4) so as to form, together with the incoming biomass, a mixture having a temperature above the temperature of the incoming biomass, the heated biomass fraction being removed at an outlet (51) of the treatment station (5).

Disclosed is a method for heating a biomass moving along an industrial treatment line including an inlet (1) for the incoming biomass, a heating unit (4), and a treatment station (5). A fraction of the biomass heated by the heating unit (4) is returned along a return branch (R) to a mixing station (2) upstream of the heating unit (4) so as to form, together with the incoming biomass, a mixture having a temperature above the temperature of the incoming biomass, the heated biomass fraction being removed at an outlet (51) of the treatment station (5).

To provide low CTE and low puffing needle coke more stably while dealing with changes in the properties of a feedstock. The low CTE and low puffing needle coke is obtained by mixing and coking a needle coke main feedstock of a coal tar-based heavy oil or petroleum-based heavy oil having a weak hydrogen donating property with a PDQI value expressed by equation (1) of less than 5.0, with a secondary feedstock having a strong hydrogen donating property with a PDQI value expressed by equation (1) of 5.0 or more, and calcining the obtained raw coke. [Equation (1)] PDQI=H %×10×(HNβ/H), wherein H % is a hydrogen amount (% by weight) obtained by elemental analysis, and HNβ/H is a ratio of β naphthenic hydrogen to total hydrogen measured by .sup.1H-NMR.

To provide low CTE and low puffing needle coke more stably while dealing with changes in the properties of a feedstock. The low CTE and low puffing needle coke is obtained by mixing and coking a needle coke main feedstock of a coal tar-based heavy oil or petroleum-based heavy oil having a weak hydrogen donating property with a PDQI value expressed by equation (1) of less than 5.0, with a secondary feedstock having a strong hydrogen donating property with a PDQI value expressed by equation (1) of 5.0 or more, and calcining the obtained raw coke. [Equation (1)] PDQI=H %×10×(HNβ/H), wherein H % is a hydrogen amount (% by weight) obtained by elemental analysis, and HNβ/H is a ratio of β naphthenic hydrogen to total hydrogen measured by .sup.1H-NMR.