Pyrolysis in Finland

The pyrolysis of biomass has been applied industrially in the production of coke from peat in Finland. Other related industrial utilization schemes include gasification of wood residues and peat.Research has been focused during this decade on high-pressure conversion of peat and black liquor, flash pyrolysis of bark, lignin, and peat, and hydrotreatment of peat pyrolysate. All experimental work is on the laboratory scale in batch or continuous units. Strong emphasis has been placed on international cooperation, and that is expected to continue.The paper discusses also the results of a techno-economic assessment of direct biomass liquefaction processes converting wood and peat to gasoline and diesel fuels. The study was carried out by the working group of the International Energy Agency, Direct Biomass Liquefaction Activity, in which Canada, Finland, Sweden and the USA participated. The potential for future cost reduction through research and development was clearly demonstrated for both flash pyrolysis and high-pressure conversion. The atmospheric flash pyrolysis, however, was considered as the preferable route for further research, since the risks involved were assessed to be smaller than with other technologies