In-chamber thermocatalytic tar cracking and syngas reforming using char-supported NiO catalyst in an updraft biomass gasifier

Authors

  • Arthur M. James R Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625,USA
  • Wenqiao Yuan Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625,USA
  • Michael D. Boyette Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625,USA
  • Donghai Wang Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-2906,USA
  • Ajay Kumar Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078-6016, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v7i6.1648

Keywords:

biomass gasification, tar cracking, syngas reforming, nickel catalyst, char catalyst

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of an in-chamber tar cracking and syngas reforming unit. This unit was composed of a two-stage tubular reactor placed within the combustion zone of an updraft biomass gasifier. Heat generated in the exothermic combustion reactions of biomass gasification drove tar cracking and syngas reforming in the tubes, eliminating the need of external heating. The performance of the unit was evaluated using char-supported NiO catalysts and was found to be very effective in tar removal and syngas composition enhancement. A tar removal rate of 95% was achieved at 0.3 s residence time and 10% nickel loading. This condition also gave syngas high-heating value increment of 36% (to 7.3 MJ/m3). The effect of gas residence time and Ni loading on tar removal and syngas composition of the unit was also studied. Gas residence of 0.2-0.3 s and Ni loading of 5%-10% were found appropriate to produce clean syngas with tar content appropriate for industrial applications (smaller than 0.6 g/m3) in an updraft biomass gasifier without external heating. Keywords: biomass gasification, tar cracking, syngas reforming, nickel catalyst, char catalyst DOI: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20140706.011 Citation: James A, Yuan W, Boyette M D, Wang D, Kumar A. In-chamber thermocatalytic tar cracking and syngas reforming using char-supported NiO catalyst in an updraft biomass gasifier. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2014; 7(6): 91－97.

Author Biographies

Arthur M. James R, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625,USA

PhD candidate

Wenqiao Yuan, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625,USA

PhD, Associate Professor. Mailing address: 265 Weaver Labs, 3110 Faucette Drive, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625. Website: http://go.ncsu. edu/bebp, Tel: +1-919-515-6742, fax: +- 919-515-7760.

Michael D. Boyette, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625,USA

PhD, Professor

Donghai Wang, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-2906,USA

PhD, Professor

Ajay Kumar, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078-6016, USA

PhD, Assistant Professor

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Published

2014-12-30

How to Cite

James R, A. M., Yuan, W., Boyette, M. D., Wang, D., & Kumar, A. (2014). In-chamber thermocatalytic tar cracking and syngas reforming using char-supported NiO catalyst in an updraft biomass gasifier. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 7(6), 91–97. https://doi.org/10.25165/ijabe.v7i6.1648

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 6 (2014): IJABE

Section

Renewable Energy and Material Systems

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