Fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of wastes for biofuels production – A review

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 297; p. 122480
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yaning, Cui, Yunlei, Liu, Shiyu, Fan, Liangliang, Zhou, Nan, Peng, Peng, Wang, Yunpu, Guo, Feiqiang, Min, Min, Cheng, Yanling, Liu, Yuhuan, Lei, Hanwu, Chen, Paul, Li, Bingxi, Ruan, Roger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Biofuels; Biofuels production; Fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis; Heating; Hot Temperature; Microwaves; Pyrolysis; Waste; Biofuels production; Fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis; Waste
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122480

Schematic diagram for fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis. [Display omitted] •Biofuels production from fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of waste was reviewed.•Premixed and non-premixed ways can realize fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of waste.•The yields of bio-oil, bio-gas, and bio-char were quantitatively discussed.•Non-premixed fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis is promising and challenging. Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of waste suffers from the problem that the waste generally has low microwave absorptivity thereby resulting in low heating rate and low pyrolysis temperature. In this case, fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis is proposed and developed to help the pyrolysis of waste. This study describes two methods that can be used to realize fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of waste: (1) premixed method (wastes are mixed with microwave absorbent) and (2) non-premixed method (wastes are poured onto the heated microwave absorbent bed). Then, biofuels (bio-oil, bio-gas, and bio-char) produced from fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of wastes are reviewed. The review results show that the yields of bio-oil, bio-gas, and bio-char obtained from fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis of wastes varied significantly in the ranges of 2–96 wt%, 2.4–86.8 wt%, and 0.3–83.2 wt%, respectively. Although the present research focused mainly on the premixed method, non-premixed/continuous fast microwave-assisted pyrolysis is still promising and challenging.