ABSTRACT

This chapter outlines the reactors for thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass. Thermochemical conversion of biomass to bioenergy and bioproducts is a promising alternate route for biochemical conversion of biomass using fermentation. The thermochemical conversion process relies on well-established technologies such as pyrolysis and gasification. Basic definitions and concepts involved in the thermochemical conversion of biomass and advanced topics, including the reactor configurations for lignocellulosic biomass conversion using pyrolysis and gasification, are covered in this chapter. The reactors are compared based on scalability and ease of operation. After reading this chapter, the reader will understand the basics of reactors used in the thermochemical conversion of biomass and their pros and cons for specific applications.