A Literature Survey of Intermediate Products Formed During the Thermal Aqueous Degradation of Cellulose

Abstract

The production of pyrolytic oils and tars from organic materials, notably cellulose and lignin, has been reported in the scientific literature for at least a century. Interest in this topic has intensified recently because of the potential for making liquid fuels and petroleum substitutes from waste organic materials, particularly wood, manure, and municipal trash. Plants are now operating to evaluate production of these oils on a pilot-plant or demonstration scale. At El Cajon, California, a 200-ton/day demonstration plant is operating to convert municipal trash into a pyrolytic oil [1], and at Albany, Oregon, a 3-ton/day pilot plant converts wood into oil [2]. The former is a direct pyrolytic process while the latter employs thermochemical alkaline digestion.