A mechanistic study on the reaction pathways leading to benzene and naphthalene in cellulose vapor phase cracking

The reaction pathways leading to aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and naphthalene in gas-phase reactions of multi-component mixtures derived from cellulose fast pyrolysis were studied both experimentally and numerically. A two-stage tubular reactor was used for evaluating the reaction kinetics of secondary vapor phase cracking of the nascent pyrolysates at temperature ranging from 400 to 900 °C, residence time from 0.2 to 4.3 s, and at 241 kPa. The products of alkyne and diene were identified from the primary pyrolysis of cellulose even at low temperature range 500–600 °C. These products include acetylene, propyne, propadiene, vinylacetylene, and cyclopentadiene. Experiments were also numerically validated by a detailed chemical kinetic model consisting of more than 8000 elementary step-like reactions with over 500 chemical species. Acceptable capabilities of the kinetic model in predicting concentration profiles of the products enabled us to assess reaction pathways leading to benzene and naphthalene via the alkyne and diene from primary pyrolysates of cellulose. C₃ alkyne and diene are primary precursors of benzene at 650 °C, while combination of ethylene and vinylacetylene produces benzene dominantly at 850 °C. Cyclopentadiene is a prominent precursor of naphthalene. Combination of acetylene with propyne or allyl radical leads to the formation of cyclopentadiene. Furan and acrolein are likely important alkyne precursors in cellulose pyrolysis at low temperature, whereas dehydrogenations of olefins are major route to alkyne at high temperatures. - Highlights: • Analytical pyrolysis experiments provided data for kinetic modeling. • Detailed chemical kinetic model was used and evaluated. • Alkyne and diene were important intermediates for aromatic hydrocarbon formation. • Reaction pathways leading to aromatic hydrocarbons were proposed