Abstract
A recently proposed type of gasification (Type IV) has a potential to produce syngas from biomass or lignite at chemical energy recovery over 96% on an LHV basis with H2O/C and O2/C molar ratios as small as 0.5 and 0.2, respectively. This type of gasification converts biomass or lignite in a sequence of pyrolysis, gas-phase partial oxidation of volatiles, and simultaneous steam gasification of char and steam reforming of the volatiles under catalysis of potassium. The present authors experimentally simulated a Type IV gasification of woody biomass loaded with 1.5 wt-% K in a laboratory-scale continuous reactor system. The pyrolysis at 550°C in a screw conveyer reactor and the subsequent steam gasification/reforming at 700-720°C in the bed of K-loaded char demonstrated steady-state carbon conversion over 99%, residual tar concentration in the syngas well below 100 mg/m3N-dry, and CH4 concentration below 3 vol-%-dry simultaneously. The potassium retained by the char catalyzed the steam reforming/gasification, consuming externally added steam and in situ formed one from the pyrolysis and partial oxidation at consumption more than 0.7 mol H2O/mol C. The composition of syngas reached near-equilibrium among H2, steam, CO, and CO2 at 700-720°C. This was caused by fast reactions within the bed of the K-loaded char; steam reforming/gasification forming CO2/H2 and reverse water-gas shift reaction.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 6407-6418 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Energy and Fuels |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 16 2014 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Chemical Engineering(all)
- Fuel Technology
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology