Effect of Lignin Components on Gasification of Japanese Cedar (Cryptopmeria japonica) Wood and Bark Using an Entrained-Flow-Type Gasification Reactor

Abstract

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) wood and bark were gasified using an entrained-flow-type gasification reactor at 900 °C in the presence of H2O or H2O + O2. With H2O alone, the cedar wood was gasified well: carbon conversion into gas [CC(g)] = 94.3%; however, cedar bark was not gasified so well: CC(g) = 73.4%, and relatively large amounts of solid residues were produced: carbon conversion into solid residues [CC(sr)] = 14.0%. Gas produced from both cedar wood and cedar bark were suitable compositions for catalytic liquid fuel synthesis: [H2]/[CO] ≅ 2–3. Tar yields were low: that from the cedar wood was <0.1 wt %, and that from the cedar bark was 0.3 wt %. The tar from the cedar bark contained much more various kinds of compounds. With H2O + O2, CC(g) was improved (cedar wood, 96.5%; cedar bark, 87.5%) and CC(sr) of the cedar bark decreased (2.6%). A high lignin content in the cedar bark was one of main differences from the cedar wood and was a possible reason for its low CC(g). To examine the effect ...