Product Distribution from Co-gasification of Coal and Biomass in a Fluidized-bed Reactor

Abstract

Co-gasification of coal and biomass is an effective way to utilize coal of low rank to alleviate problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution. In order to investigate the product distribution resulting from the co-gasification of coal and biomass in a fluidized-bed reactor, experiments were conducted at varying biomass ratios, oxygen equivalent ratios, steam/carbon ratios, and also gasification temperatures. With an increase of biomass ratio, the amount of CO and CH4 increased while H2 and CO2 contents decreased. The amount of H2 increased obviously with an increase of gasification temperature ranging from 650 to 1000°C, whereas the CO and CO2 amount decreased. An increase of the steam/carbon ratio was beneficial to promote H2 formation and decrease CO and hydrocarbon compounds. With an increase of the gasification temperature, the steam/carbon ratio and oxygen equivalent ratio can promote the elements with low reaction activity in biomass gasification to be useful gas compositions.