FLUIDISED BED PYROLYSIS APPARATUS AND METHOD

The invention provides a carbonaceous feed pyrolysis apparatus including two or more hot particle fluidised beds, and one or more positive displacement apparatus for the transfer of hot particles between two or more of the beds, wherein one or more of the fluidised beds contains a combustion zone. The invention extends to a bio-oil production process, including pyrolysis of a carbonaceous bio-mass, which process includes 2 or more fluidised beds, a first combustion zone carried out in one or more combustion fluidised beds in which a particulate material is fluidised and heated, and a second pyrolysis zone carried out in one or more pyrolysis fluidised beds in which the hot particles heated in the combustion zone are used for pyrolysis of the bio-mass, said combustion zone being operated at or about atmospheric pressure at a temperature of from 400°C to 1100 °C, typically around 900°C, and the pyrolysis zone being operated at a pressure of from atmospheric to 100 Barg at a temperature of from 400°C to 900°C.