Introduction
The biodegradable fractions in wastes like paper, wood, and
food residue are important sources of biomass for renewable-energy
production through thermal or biological conversion. While
direct combustion is the dominant method applied to mixed
wastes, specific streams of industrial wastes with high energy content
could be converted into fuel feedstock using advanced techniques,
such as pyrolysis and gasification. One example of such
materials is waste furniture, of which over 2.4 million tons were
generated in Korea in the past 3 years (Yoo, 2008). Although the
wood in waste furniture could have been treated with paint, surface
coating, or pesticides, unlike fresh wood or forestry residues,
it usually contains less moisture and is available for pyrolysis
and gasification after size reduction.
Fast pyrolysis is an attractive technology for biomass, from
which bio-oil is the preferred product having a great potential
for use as fuel oil in industry, or as transport fuel. Fast pyrolysis refers
to pyrolysis at temperatures of about 500 C, with very high
heating rates (>103 C/s) and a short vapor residence time (