Spontaneous Generation of Tar Decomposition Promoter in a Biomass Steam Reformer

doi:10.1205/cherd.04101

Chemical Engineering Research and Design

Volume 83, Issue 9, September 2005, Pages 1093-1102

https://doi.org/10.1205/cherd.04101 Get rights and content

In situ steam reforming of tar from rapid pyrolysis of biomass was investigated experimentally using a two-stage reactor. Pulverized biomass was continuously fed into the rapid pyrolysis zone of the reactor at 773 K, where nascent volatiles and char were isolated from each other. The volatiles were then mixed with steam and introduced into the steam-reforming zone at 873 to 1073 K consisting of a fixed-bed of mesoporous alumina particles. The yield of tar heavier than naphthalene decreased as the amount of volatiles fed into the fixed-bed increased, and finally reached an undetectable level (well below 0.01% on a biomass carbon basis), leaving benzene and naphthalene with yields of 0.5–1% and below 0.05%, respectively. Coke was deposited over the alumina particles with a yield of 10–20%, and it acted as a catalyst active enough to eliminate polyaromatic hydrocarbons as the representative constituents of the heavy tar. Thus the mesoporous alumina played a dual role of eliminating tar and controlling the total yield of char and coke, and would therefore be suitable as the bed material for biomass gasification in two-stage gasifier with the bed material being circulated between the biomass pyrolysis/steam-reforming zone and the char/coke combustion zone.

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Spontaneous Generation of Tar Decomposition Promoter in a Biomass Steam Reformer

Journal of Catalysis

Applied Catalysis A, General

Applied Catalysis A, General

Biomass and Bioenergy

Biomass and Bioenergy

Fuel Processing Technology

Fuel

Fuel

Carbon

Carbon

Fuel

Biomass and Bioenergy

Biomass and Bioenergy

Fuel

Fuel

Int J Hydrogen Energy

Biomass and Bioenergy

Fuel

Biomass and bioenergy

Fuel

Energy Conversion and Management

Cellulose pyrolysis kinetics: the current state of knowledge

Ind Eng Chem Res

Catalyst performance of Rh/CeO2/SiO2 in the pyrogasification of biomass

Energy & Fuels

Commercial steam reforming catalysts to improve biomass gasification with steam-oxygen mixtures. 2. Catalytic tar removal

Ind Eng Chem Res

Methanol and ammonia from biomass

Chemical Engineering Progress

Steam gasification of biomass with nickel secondary catalysts

Ind Eng Chem Res

Steam gasification of biomass in a fluidized bed. Effect of a Ni-Al catalyst

Smokeless fuel from carbonized sawdust

Industrial Engineering Chemistry Production Research Development

Fluidized bed steam gasification of biomass with dolomite and with a commercial FCC catalyst.

Biomass gasification in fluidized bed: Where to locate the dolomite to improve gasification?

Energy & Fuels

Biomass gasification with air in a fluidized bed: exhaustive tar elimination with commercial steam reforming catalysts

Energy & Fuels

Catalyst performance of Rh/CeO₂/SiO₂ in the pyrogasification of biomass