Led by Yi Weiming, a professor at Shandong University of Technology, the Shandong Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Clean Energy has made intensive studies on the use of biomass energy.
Biomass energy refers to the energy generated from all kinds of agriculture and forestry products with organic substances. It was one of the first forms of energy used by human beings.
In recent years, because of the gradual exhausting and severe pollution of fossil fuels, the utilization of regenerated energies including biomass energy has become a new research focus.
The methods of using this energy source include direct combustion, bioconversion technology, gasification, pyrolysis, liquefaction technology, and so on.
In 1998, Yi and his colleagues began to study fast pyrolysis technology, one of the utilization methods.
The technology converts bio-materials such as corn stalks into liquid fuel and bio-based chemicals and materials.
Now a new research programme is jointly carried out by the Shandong Research Centre of Engineering and Technology for Clean Energy and the Energy Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences. The programme has developed a patented technology for fast pyrolysis liquefaction, using a ceramic ball recycled heating technique and utilizing biomass as raw material. It has also developed a set of demonstration equipment for this technology.
The centre has also conducted theoretical research on pyrolysis characteristics and devolatilization characteristics, which are essential for the further use of biomass energy.
The centre has published over 30 papers in important domestic and international periodicals. The achievements made in the past four years have drawn worldwide attention.