Effects of Acetylene Addition on Yields of the C1−C10 Hydrocarbon Products of Catechol Pyrolysis

To better understand the role of C2 species in the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from complex solid fuels, we have performed pyrolysis experiments with the model fuel catechol (ortho-dihydroxybenzene)—a phenol-type compound representative of structural entities in coal, wood, and biomass—in an isothermal laminar-flow reactor, with acetylene added as a dopant. The catechol pyrolysis experiments are conducted at a residence time of 0.3 s, at temperatures of 500−1000 °C, and at a fixed catechol-to-acetylene molar feed ratio of 0.785. The pyrolysis products are analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet–visible absorbance detection and by gas chromatography with flame-ionization and mass spectrometric detection. Product quantification reveals that acetylene addition to the catechol pyrolysis environment does not change catechol conversion or the yields of most C1−C5 hydrocarbon products. Acetylene addition does, however, increase the yields of the C3 products and fa...