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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Catalysts for gasification of biomass

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6782160
The purpose of the project is to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of generating specific gas products by catalytic gasification of biomass. Catalysts are widely used commercially to produce specific products from a variety of feedstocks. Application of catalysts for generation of valuable products from wood is an attractive possibility because of wood's favorable properties, namely a high volatiles content, low ash and low sulfur content. Direct processing of wood with many commercial catalysts is, therefore, potentially possible without severe catalyst poisoning. Commercial and prepared catalysts were found to be active for generation of synthesis gases from wood by steam gasification. A prepared catalyst, Ni-Co-Mo on silica-alumina doped with 2 wt % Na, retained activity indefinitely for generation of a methanol synthesis gas from wood at 750/sup 0/C (1380/sup 0/F) and 100 kPa (1 atm) absolute pressure. Results are presented for a variety of commercial and prepared catalysts used to enhance steam gasification of wood. Current studies are designed to develop process systems to realize the potential of catalyzed gasification of biomass. Systems that avoid catalyst deactivation by attrition and carbon deposition are being tested in bench scale equipment. Status of the development studies is presented. 6 references, 3 figures, 6 tables.
Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
6782160
Report Number(s):
PNL-SA-12270; CONF-840509-2; ON: DE85000371
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English