LCA Analysis of Biocarbon Pellet Production to Substitute Coke

Biocarbon is a promising alternative to fossil reductants for decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing sustainability of the metallurgical industry. In comparison to conventional reductants (i.e., coke and coal), biocarbon has low density, poor mechanical strength and high reactivity. Densification is an efficient way to upgrade biocarbon and improve its undesirable properties. In this study, woody biocarbon is compressed into pellets using pyrolysis oils as a binder. In fact both pyrolysis oils and charcoal can be produced through the slow pyrolysis process and represent respectively the liquid product and the solid product. Pyrolysis gases can be used to sustain the process. Mass and energy balance of the biocarbon pelletization process are calculated and used to implement a LCA analysis. Final use of the produced biocarbon will be in the silicon industry in Norway.