Using woody biomass in thermochemical gasification can be a viable alternative for producing renewable energy. The type of biomass and the process parameters influence the producer gas composition and quality. This paper presents research on the composition of the producer gas from the gasification of three woody biomass species: spruce, alder, and pine. The experiments were conducted in a drop-tube reactor at temperatures of 750, 850, and 950 °C, using air as the gasifying agent, with equivalence ratios of 0.38 and 0.19. Gas chromatography with a thermal conductivity detector was used to determine the composition of the producer gas, while the production of total organic compounds was detected using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. All three wood species exhibited very similar producer gas composition. The highest concentration of combustible gases was recorded at 950 °C, with an average of 4.1, 20.5, and 4.6 vol% for H2, CO, and CH4, respectively, and a LHV ranging from 4.3–5.1 MJ/m3. The results were in accordance with other gasification studies of woody species. Higher temperatures enhanced the composition of the producer gas by promoting endothermic and exothermic gasification reactions, increasing gas production while lowering solid and tar yields. The highest concentrations of combustible gases were observed with an equivalence ratio of 0.38. Continuous TOC measurement allowed understanding the evolution of the gasification process and the relation between a higher production of TOC and CO as the gasification temperature raised.

The use of biomass (BM) and oil shale (OS) blends for the production of cleaner and improved fuels and chemicals through co-pyrolysis has recently attracted attention. The potential benefits, synergetic effects, interactions and promotion and inhibition effects of co-pyrolysis of BM and OS are reviewed and analyzed in this article based on an overview of various recent studies of co-pyrolysis, including the experimental and operational parameters and the yield and composition of the products. The effects of co-pyrolysis on different feedstock blends are discussed to guide future research on BM and OS copyrolysis. The effects of different pyrolysis parameters that can improve the pyrolysis process and quality of products are also reviewed. These parameters include CO 2 and steam atmospheres, heating rate, reaction temperature and particle size. Overall, in most cases reviewed, co-pyrolysis can enhance the yields of bio-oils, producer gas and chars as well as improve their properties while reducing the environmental effects of fossil fuels.

The partial replacement of fossil fuels with biomass provides an alternative to producing cleaner and more sustainable energy and fuels. Conventional shale oil production infrastructure can potentially be used in co-pyrolysis with biomass to reduce the use of oil shale and decrease its environmental impact. The effect of adding 10 and 30 wt% woody biomasses (spruce, alder, pine, and birch) into oil shale was studied through intermediate co-pyrolysis. The experiments were carried out in a batch reactor at 520 °C, with a 20 min residence time, in CO2, CO2-H2O 1:1, and Ar gas atmospheres. The solid products were collected and analyzed for elemental composition and surface area, while the composition of the gases was determined through gas chromatography. The difference in experimental and theoretical mass balances of fuel blends was lower than 2.5 wt% in all gas environments, indicating slight interactions between the fuels. CO2 atmospheres contributed to increased decomposition, with up to 2.6 wt% lower solid products. Biomass increased the production of combustible gases, especially CO yields, from 0.42 to 1.30 vol%. The addition of biomass and the use of alternative atmospheres can improve pyrolysis through increased fuel decomposition and a lower share of residual mass from 74.4 wt% for oil shale to 58–70 wt% for oil shale and biomass blends.

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