Fast pyrolysis apparatus and method

A method of pyrolizing material, the method comprising:

• providing a fast pyrolizer, the fast pyrolizer including an elongated tubular housing with a feed inlet, an outlet, and an internal contact surface extending from the inlet to the outlet;
• elevating the inlet with respect to the outlet sufficient to allow gravity flow of the material through the housing;
• transferring heat to at least the internal contact surface;
• and
• feeding the material into the inlet where contact between the material and the heated internal contact surface pyrolizes the material.

A system comprising:

• a fast pyrolizer to pyrolize material;
• a condenser coupled to the fast pyrolizer to receive the pyrolized material and condense pyrolized gas into a liquid;
• an oil extractor to extract bio-oil from the condensed liquid;
• and
• wherein the fast pyrolizer includes
• an elongated tubular housing having a feed inlet to receive material, an outlet, and a flow path with an internal contact surface extending from the inlet to the outlet, the feed inlet oriented to a non-vertical relative elevation with respect to the outlet to allow a flow of the material via gravity and/or vibration, at least a portion of the internal contact surface to directly contact the material;
• and
• a heater to heat the internal contact surface such that the material is heated via direct thermal transfer from the internal contact surface such that pyrolysis occurs in the flow path.