Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 99 (2013) 23–31 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis journa l h o me page: www.elsevier.com/locate/jaap Fast pyrolysis of Amazon tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum) seeds in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor Claudio S. Lira a , Federico M. Berruti b,∗ , Pietro Palmisano b , Franco Berruti b , Cedric Briens b , Araí A.B. Pécora a a School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Campinas, R. Mendeleyev 200, 13083-860 Campinas, SP, Brazil 1 b Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR), Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada 2 a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 7 June 2012 Accepted 12 November 2012 Available online 21 November 2012 Keywords: Astrocaryum aculeatum Biomass Fast pyrolysis Process sustainability analysis a b s t r a c t Biofuels are often presented as a contribution toward the solution of the problems related to the world’s strong dependency on fossil fuels, such as greenhouse gas effects and urban pollution, in addition to being a way to support rural development. Biomass is the most important renewable energy source and the state of Amazon in Brazil, which is completely covered by the Amazon rainforest, has great potential as a source of biomass. The aim of this research was to study the conversion process of the seed residue of Amazon-tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum) into bio-oil by fast pyrolysis. The seed residue was ground and samples with a diameter smaller than 2 mm were pyrolyzed in a bubbling fluidized bed of inert silica sand. The residence time of gases was maintained at 1.4 s with the reactor temperatures ranging from 400 to 600 ◦ C. All liquid and solid products generated during the process were weighed, analyzed, and characterized (HHV, GC–MS, ultimate analysis and ash mineral analysis). The produced bio-oil was a homogeneous fuel, with a maximum liquid yield of 60 wt% at 500 ◦ C, with a water-free high heating value (HHV) of 20.2 MJ/kg. The highest water-free HHV (30.5 MJ/kg) was found at 550 ◦ C, for which the liquid yield was around 55 wt%. The results demonstrated that there is a great potential for using the bio-oil from Amazon-tucumã for bio-fuel production in addition to the production of some high-value compounds, such as levoglucosan and guaiacol. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Brazil is known as a pioneer in the production of renewable fuels. The use of biomass and its products in Brazil has gradu- ally increased during the last 20 years, showing the high potential for the development of bio-fuels and bio-chemicals as viable alternatives to products derived from fossil fuels. However, there are still numerous challenges that need to be overcome to make such developments fully sustainable. The Amazon rainforest, located in the North of Brazil, is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth, and is known for its rich biodi- versity. The state of Amazon, completely covered by the Amazon rainforest area, is quite different from its neighboring regions in Brazil. For example, the low and disperse population density, the long distances between local production and consumption of energy, dense forests and transportation difficulties, all create a geographical context in which the energy problems of small local ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 519 661 3885; fax: +1 519 661 4016. E-mail address: fberrut@uwo.ca (F.M. Berruti). 1 Tel.: +55 19 3521 3374. 2 Tel.: +1 519 661 3885. communities become complex. The dense Amazon rainforests and long rivers have made such communities very isolated and inacces- sible. As a result, energy supply models that have been developed and successfully implemented in other areas cannot be recom- mended as a pre-determined solution to improve the existing energy supply [1]. In practice, solutions should involve the sustainable use of under-exploited forest products or residues to create value-added chemicals and fuels, while ensuring the continued conservation and reproduction of forest species. In addition, electricity generation from natural resources and distribution to isolated communities in the Amazon should be implemented with the training and input of local inhabitants. By working with the local communities, a more complete understanding of the cultural implications of the energy processes would be obtained, making the development of a truly sustainable and successful long-term process for the communities much more likely [2]. Attempts to find a reliable, highly accessible biomass, with rea- sonable properties for fuel production, have led to the consideration of the tucumã seed (Astrocaryum aculeatum) as a viable candidate for bio-fuel production, which is the core and inedible portion of an Amazon native fruit. This cheap material, with no other current use, could be ground and pyrolyzed to obtain bio-oil which is easy 0165-2370/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2012.11.005