Improving bio-oil fractions through fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors from Eucalyptus globulus biomass residues in a prototype auger reactor

Vilas-Boas, A.C.M.; Tarelho, L.; Marques, C.C.; Moura, J.M.O.; Santos, M.C.; Paradela, Filipe; Nunes, M.I.; Silvestre, A.J.D.

Publication

Improving bio-oil fractions through fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors from Eucalyptus globulus biomass residues in a prototype auger reactor

2025-11Journal article

datacite.subject.fos	Engenharia e Tecnologia::Engenharia Química
datacite.subject.sdg	07:Energias Renováveis e Acessíveis
dc.contributor.author	Vilas-Boas, A.C.M.
dc.contributor.author	Tarelho, L.
dc.contributor.author	Marques, C.C.
dc.contributor.author	Moura, J.M.O.
dc.contributor.author	Santos, M.C.
dc.contributor.author	Paradela, Filipe
dc.contributor.author	Nunes, M.I.
dc.contributor.author	Silvestre, A.J.D.
dc.date.accessioned	2025-11-07T17:28:51Z
dc.date.available	2025-11-07T17:28:51Z
dc.date.issued	2025-11
dc.description.abstract	ABSTRACT: Bio-oil produced from the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass has potential as a biofuel or chemical precursor. However, its valorization is hindered by its complex composition, high water concentration, and the presence of oxygenated compounds. Operational strategies are therefore required to improve its quality. This study evaluated the technical feasibility of fractional condensation as an alternative to conventional single-stage condensation of vapors produced from pyrolysis of residual Eucalyptus globulus biomass to collect bio-oil fractions with improved properties. The process was carried out using a prototype-scale auger reactor with continuous operation. The fractional condensation system comprised four sequential condensation stages operating at progressively lower temperatures: 140, 100, 80, and 0 degrees C. The collected bio-oil fractions were analyzed in terms of product yields, water separation efficiency, elemental composition, heating value, and the presence of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. The results demonstrated that fractional condensation achieved total bio-oil yields comparable to those obtained with the single-stage condensation system, while enabling the recovery of bio-oil fractions with lower water concentration, higher carbon concentration and increased heating value. Notably, the first condensation stage collected heavy fractions with water concentration between 3 % and 6 %wt., oxygen concentration between 17 % and 21 %wt., and carbon concentration between 69 % and 72 %wt., resulting in O/C molar ratios between 0.17 and 0.22, values close to those of biodiesel. These fractions exhibited lower heating values of up to 31 MJ/kg, surpassing those of conventional liquid biofuels such as biomethanol and bioethanol. These findings highlight the potential of fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors from residual biomass from Eucalyptus globulus as an effective strategy to produce bio-oil with properties more suitable for direct energy use or as an intermediate feedstock for biofuels synthesis. Further research is recommended to optimize the condensation stages and assess the long-term stability of recovered fractions.	eng
dc.identifier.citation	Vilas-Boas, A.,Tarelho, L., Marques, C., Moura, J., Santos, M., Paradela, F., Nunes, M. & Silvestre, A. (2025). Improving bio-oil fractions through fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors from Eucalyptus globulus biomass residues in a prototype auger reactor. In: Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2025, vol. 192, article 107329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2025.107329
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.jaap.2025.107329
dc.identifier.eissn	1873-250X
dc.identifier.issn	0165-2370
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10400.9/6140
dc.language.iso	eng
dc.peerreviewed	yes
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials
dc.relation	POCI-01-0247-FEDER-021874
dc.relation	LA/P/0094/2020
dc.relation	UIDB/50011/2020
dc.relation	LA/P/0006/2020
dc.relation.hasversion	https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165237025003821?pes=vor&utm_source=clarivate&getft_integrator=clarivate
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subject	Eucalyptus globulus
dc.subject	Pyrolysis
dc.subject	Lignocellulosic biomass
dc.subject	Fractional condensation
dc.subject	Water separation
dc.subject	Biofuels
dc.title	Improving bio-oil fractions through fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors from Eucalyptus globulus biomass residues in a prototype auger reactor	eng
dc.type	journal article
dspace.entity.type	Publication
oaire.awardTitle	CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials
oaire.awardURI	info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F50011%2F2020/PT
oaire.citation.title	Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis
oaire.citation.volume	192
oaire.fundingStream	6817 - DCRRNI ID
oaire.version	http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyName	Paradela
person.givenName	Filipe
person.identifier.orcid	0000-0001-7928-7339
person.identifier.scopus-author-id	26031123400
project.funder.identifier	http://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871
project.funder.name	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
relation.isAuthorOfPublication	7e579015-f397-475c-beb7-6ec481e5ef0d
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery	7e579015-f397-475c-beb7-6ec481e5ef0d
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