it is recognized that some of these minerals such as potassium carbonate can have catalytic activity in the conversion of the biomass material even though these minerals are typically present during the chemical conversion taking place in the biomass conversion reactor 20 they are not considered catalysts the biomass feed system 18 introduces the biomass feedstock into a biomass conversion reactor 20 in the biomass conversion reactor 20 biomass is subjected to a conversion reaction that produces bio oil the biomass conversion reactor 20 can facilitate different chemical conversion reactions such as fast pyrolysis slow pyrolysis liquefaction gasification or enzymatic conversion the biomass conversion reactor 20 can be for example a fluidized bed reactor a cyclone reactor an ablative reactor or a riser reactor in one embodiment the biomass conversion reactor 20 can be a riser reactor and the conversion reaction can be fast pyrolysis more specifically fast pyrolysis may include catalytic cracking as used herein u201c pyrolysis u201d refers to the chemical conversion of biomass caused by heating the feedstock in an atmosphere that is substantially free of oxygen in one embodiment pyrolysis is carried out in the presence of an inert gas such as nitrogen carbon dioxide and.