The high-valued utilization of biomass resources remains challenging due to their complex biochemical compositions and limited product selectivity. Herein, we propose a novel biomass stepwise catalytic pyrolysis process to efficiently produce aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols by leveraging the distinct thermal stability of biomass components and their compatibility with ZSM-5 and biochar-based catalysts. A life cycle assessment (LCA) is conducted to evaluate the energy consumption and environmental impact of this innovative process compared to conventional methods. Our findings reveal that this approach significantly reduces the energy consumption by 51.76–90.02 % across different application scenarios of by-product biochar. Additionally, using biochar as a soil amendment contributes to carbon negativity, achieving a net greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction of up to 6 t CO2 eq for producing 8.325 t aromatics and 1 t phenol. The first-stage catalytic pyrolysis for producing aromatic hydrocarbons is identified as the major contributor to environmental impact, mainly due to ZSM-5 catalyst usage and loss, while the second stage for phenol production has a comparatively minor impact. Finally, sensitivity analysis of the key parameters highlights areas for process optimization, including reducing catalyst dosage, minimizing energy consumption, and improving phenol yield, which are crucial for enhancing the environmental and economic viability of the entire route. This study provides a detailed LCA and offers insights for future improvements in biomass conversion technology.

中文翻译：

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生物质热解生产生物芳烃和生物酚的可持续性：逐步催化方法的生命周期评估


由于其复杂的生化成分和有限的产品选择性，生物质资源的高值化利用仍然具有挑战性。在此，我们提出了一种新型生物质逐步催化热解工艺，通过利用生物质组分独特的热稳定性及其与 ZSM-5 和生物炭基催化剂的相容性，有效生产芳香烃和苯酚。进行生命周期评估（LCA），以评估与传统方法相比这一创新工艺的能源消耗和环境影响。我们的研究结果表明，这种方法在副产品生物炭的不同应用场景中显着降低了 51.76-90.02% 的能耗。此外，使用生物炭作为土壤改良剂有助于碳负性，实现温室气体 (GHG) 净排放量减少高达 6 吨二氧化碳当量，生产 8.325 吨芳烃和 1 吨苯酚。第一阶段催化热解生产芳烃被认为是对环境影响的主要因素，主要是由于ZSM-5催化剂的使用和损失，而第二阶段苯酚生产的影响相对较小。最后，关键参数的敏感性分析突出了工艺优化的领域，包括减少催化剂用量、最大限度地减少能源消耗和提高苯酚收率，这对于提高整个路线的环境和经济可行性至关重要。这项研究提供了详细的生命周期评价，并为生物质转化技术的未来改进提供了见解。