Low temperature catalytic co-solvent gasification of biomass for hydrogen rich gas

In this study, 6 different solvents were used as co-solvent in hydrothermal gasification of biomass under subcritical water conditions, and their effects on gasification and hydrogen yields were investigated. At 350 degrees C, synergistic effects were observed on hydrogen production with NMP and THF co-solvents. The hydrogen yields were 3.5 (+/- 0.1) mol H2/kg feed for NMP, and 3.1 mol H2/kg feed for THF. For both NMP and THF, synergistic increases in total gas volumes and hydrogen yields were higher at increasing concentrations up to 25%. At 25% solvent concentration, 4.1 (+/- 0.2) mol H2/kg feed hydrogen yield was obtained with NMP and 3.5 (+/- 0.2) mol H2/ kg feed hydrogen yield was obtained with THF. The hydrogen yield increased up to 25.5 (+/- 0.7) mol H2/kg feed, and 24.0 (+/- 0.1) mol H2/kg feed with NiCl2/CaO and KOH/CaO catalyst combinations with co-solvent NMP. Catalyst combinations were more effective than the single catalysts in hydrogen production.

Automated summary

In this study, the effects of 6 different solvents as co-solvents in hydrothermal gasification of biomass were investigated. The results showed that NMP and THF co-solvents had synergistic effects on hydrogen production at 350 degrees C, with NMP having a hydrogen yield of 3.5 (+/- 0.1) mol H2/kg and THF having a hydrogen yield of 3.1 mol H2/kg.