Biomass Gasification with Steam and Oxygen Mixtures at Pilot Scale and with Catalytic Gas Upgrading. Part I: Performance of the Gasifier

Abstract

Biomass gasification with steam + O2 mixtures is studied at small pilot plant (10–20 kg/h) scale. The gasifier used is a turbulent fluidized bed of 15 cm. i.d. and 3.3 m high. The pilot plant has a downstream slip flow to study the catalytic upgrading of the raw gas. A guard bed with dolomite and a catalytic bed with a steam reforming catalyst are used and eight different commercial catalysts have been tested till date. Product distribution from the gasifier, including gas proposition and tar content in the gas, are here shown in detail at different (steam + oxygen)/ biomass and (H2O/O2) ratios and gasification temperatures (800–880°C).