Microwave-assisted biorefinery

摘要

Microwave heating has not received sufficient attention in the area of high-temperature biomass refining. This work summarizes the rationale behind investigating certain applications of microwave biorefrning. The initial phase of this research will be carried out using a bench-scale microwave oven designed for processing under various conditions. The main objective of the initial phase of experiments is to determine the effect of microwave heating on pyrolysis of waste biomass and on tar cracking in biomass gasifiers. Proposed applications of microwave heating are expected to lead to biomass conversion with improved process control, lighter environmental impact, and higher efficiency than conventional heating processes.