Hydrogen from Mosses and Algae via Pyrolysis and Steam Gasification

Abstract

In this study, the effect of temperature on the yield of hydrogen from two mosses (Polytrichum commune and Thuidium tamarascinum) and two algae (Cladophora fracta and Chlorella protothecoid) by pyrolysis and steam gasification were investigated. In each run, the main components of the gas phase were CO2, CO, H2, and CH4. The yields of hydrogen by pyrolysis and steam gasification processes of the samples increased with temperature. The yields of gaseous products from the samples of Polytrichum commune, Thuidium tamarascinum, Cladophora fracta, and Chlorella protothecoides increased from 5.3 to 40.6%, 6.5 to 42.2%, 8.2 to 39.2%, and 9.5 to 40.6% by volume, respectively, while the final pyrolysis temperature was increased from 575 to 925 K. The percent of hydrogen in gaseous products from the samples of Polytrichum commune, Thuidium tamarascinum, Cladophora fracta, and Chlorella protothecoides increased from 21.3 to 38.7%, 23.0 to 41.3%, 25.8 to 44.4%, and 27.6 to 48.7% by volume, respectively, while the final pyrolysis temperature was increased from 650 to 875 K. The percent of hydrogen in gaseous products from the samples of Polytrichum commune, Thuidium tamarascinum, Cladophora fracta, and Chlorella protothecoides increased from 21.8 to 50.0%, 23.5 to 52.0%, 26.3 to 54.7%, and 28.1 to 57.6% by volume, respectively, while the final gasification temperature was increased from 825 to 1,225 K.