Temperature and feedstock effects on tar formation during pilot-scale biomass gasification

FUEL 201

Daniel Carpenter, daniel_carpenter@nrel.gov, Steven Philips, Katherine Gaston, Steve Deutch, Calvin Feik, Calvin_Feik@nrel.gov, Richard French, richard_french@nrel.gov, and Mark Nimlos, mark_nimlos@nrel.gov. National Bioenergy Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., M/S 3322, Golden, CO 80401
Thermochemical conversion of biomass for producing renewable transportation fuels provides a technology option to improve the economic viability of the burgeoning biofuels industry. One important consideration, and added benefit, of a thermochemical process is its effectiveness with different feedstocks. NREL's Thermochemical Process Development Unit (TCPDU) was used to study steam gasification of wood, wheat straw, switchgrass and corn stover. A total of 23 experimental conditions were examined for each feedstock to investigate the effects of fluid bed temperature, secondary thermal cracker temperature and steam-to-biomass ratio on the syngas composition. Continuous analysis of permanent gases and tars was conducted for each experimental condition, as well as complete elemental analysis of feed, char, and final bed material. Multiple linear regression was used to develop mathematical equations showing that, for most tar groups, tar generation is well correlated with thermal cracker temperature and feedstock proximate analysis.
 

Clean Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass
1:30 PM-3:25 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 242, Oral

Division of Fuel Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008