ABSTRACT
Pyrolysis of high acidity olive oil, olive husk oil and animal fat was carried out under different atmospheres (vacuum, N2 and CH4), at constant temperature and different residence times. Bio-oils were the main pyrolysis products, with mass yields from 55.2% to 88.9%. The use of nitrogen or methane atmospheres led to an increase in the formation of gas products (14.1% to 26%), while increasing the residence time resulted in higher yields of gases and solids. The pyrolysis bio-oils contained 54.4% to 88.7% (w/w) of distillable liquids, collected as a light fraction and a heavy fraction. Both fractions were analysed by GC-MS to determine the hydrocarbon profiles and identification of functional groups. Vacuum pyrolysis promoted the formation of low molecular weight liquids while the use of a methane atmosphere increased the relative concentration of aliphatic components in the bio-oil.
