PNNL

Abstract

This paper presents design, fabrication and testing of a micro scale reactor for the pyrolysis of organic compounds. The reactor system described here is suitable for use in enhanced isotope ratio measurement in a continuous flow mode. A characteristic of such a system is it can be utilized to pyrolyze organic compounds with sample size 20-50 times smaller than conventional. Results have shown that organic compounds, such as 1-butanol, ethanol, and ethanol amine, can be fully decomposed to desired products CO and H2, at temperature of 1200oC, which is 200oC lower than conventionally reported. Undesired products methane and CO2 are eliminated in the pyrolysis process. The proof-of-concept experimental results clearly demonstrate that the micro pyrolyzer can be readily integrated with isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) to differentiate between different sources of the same materials.