Liquefaction of aspen poplar wood

Abstract

Abstract Dried and green aspen poplar wood suspended in water containing alkaline catalysts has been converted completely to an oil, water‐soluble chemicals and gases if heated for one hour in the presence of carbon monoxide in a rocking batch reactor. Within the ranges of parameters studied: temperature (593—633 K), nominal reaction times (0—1 h), water‐to‐wood ratio (0.5:1—5:1), catalyst (Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , NaOH), amount of catalyst (7.0—12.5 wt %) and initial hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratios (2:1—0:1), the water‐to‐wood ratio was most important. Oil yields of ˜50% with a carbon plus hydrogen content of ˜80% and representing a carbon recovery of ˜66% were obtained. The higher heats of combustion ranged from 32.2 to 36.0 MJ/kg.