• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.215-220
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• 2010

Hydrogen is a clean and efficient energy source and is expected to take an important role in future energy demand. A possibly good route to produce hydrogen is by using biomass and organic wastes as a source through thermo-chemical conversion technology. In this study, pyrolysis of wood Pellet(Oregon pine) has been carried out in batch type fixed-bed reactor in $N_2$ atmosphere during 20 minutes to determine the optimum hydrogen generating conditions. At the influence of temperature, hydrogen yield was increased with increasing temperature. For the influence of Steam/Biomass Ratio(SBR), hydrogen yield was increased by steam addition at low temperature condition. However, effect of steam addition was insignificant over at SBR = 1. The hydrogen yield was increased with increasing SBR at high temperature condition. From result of $H_2$/CO and $H_2/CH_4$ ratio, dominant reaction was steam reforming in this experimental condition. The optimum condition for hydrogen production was determined as follows: $H_2$ yield = 38.3 vol.% (56.01 L/min kg) at $900^{\circ}C$, SBR=3.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.874-882
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• 2019

In this study, the gasification characteristics of four types of unused woody biomass and one waste wood in a lab-scale bubbling fluidized bed gasifier (Diameter: 0.11 m, Height: 0.42 m) were investigated. Effect of equivalence ratio (ER) of 0.15-0.3 and gas velocity of $2.5-5U_0/U_{mf}$ are determined at the constant temperature of $800^{\circ}C$ and fuel feeding rate of 1 kg/h. The silica sand particle having an average particle size of $287{\mu}m$ and olivine with an average particle size of $500{\mu}m$ were used as the bed material, respectively. The average product gas composition of samples is as follows; $H_2$ 3-4 vol.%, CO 15-16 vol.%, $CH_4$ 4 vol.% and $CO_2$ 18-19 vol.% with a lower heating value (LHV) of $1193-1301kcal/Nm^3$ and higher heating value (HHV) of $1262-1377kcal/Nm^3$. In addition, it was found that olivine reduced most of C2 components and increased $H_2$ content compared to silica sand, resulting in cracking reaction of tar. The non-condensable tar decreases by 72% ($1.24{\rightarrow}0.35g/Nm^3$) and the condensable tar decreases by 27% ($4.4{\rightarrow}3.2g/Nm^3$).

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.33-36
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• 2014

Gasification of biomass produces syngas containing CO, $H_2$ and/or $CH_4$, which can then be converted into energy or value-added fuels. One of key issues for efficient gasification is to minimize tar concentration in the syngas for use in a final conversion device such as gas engine. This study investigated the decomposition of primary tar by catalytic cracking using char as catalyst, of which the feature can be integrated into a fixed bed gasifier design. The pyrolysis vapor containing tar from pyrolysis of wood at $500^{\circ}C$ was passed through a reactor filled with or without char at $800^{\circ}C$ for a residence time of 1, 3 or 5 sec. Then, the condensable vapor (water and tar) and gases were analyzed for the yields and elemental composition. Four types of char particles with different microscopic surface area and pore size distribution: wood, paddy straw, palm kernel shell and activated carbon. The results were analyzed for the mass and carbon yields of tar and the composition of product gases to conclude the effects of char types and residence time.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.247-250
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• 2008

Biomass gasification is a promising technology for producing a fuel gas which is useful for power generation systems. In biomass gasification processes, tar formation often causes some problems such as pipeline plugging. Thus, proper tar treatment is necessary. So far, nickel (Ni)-based catalysts have been intensively studied for the catalytic tar removal. However, the deactivation of Ni-based catalysts takes place because of coke deposition and sintering of Ni metal particles. To overcome these problems, we have been using ruthenium (Ru)-based catalyst for tar removal. It is reported by Okada et al., that a Ru/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst is very effective for preventing the carbon deposition during the steam reforming of hydrocarbons. Also, this catalyst is more active than the Ni-based catalyst at a low steam to carbon ratio (S/C). Benzene was used for the tar model compound because it is the main constituent of biomass tar and also because it represents a stable aromatic structure apparent in tar formed in biomass gasification processes. The steam reforming process transforms hydrocarbons into gaseous mixtures constituted of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), carbon monoxide (CO), methane ($CH_4$) and hydrogen ($H_2$).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2011

Biomass gasification is a promising technology in terms of clean energy and flexible options for end use such as heat, steam, electricity, gaseous or liquid fuels. In a gasification process, reduction of tar is very important because it can cause any mechanical problems and small tar implies high energy efficiency. However, generation and conversion mechanisms of tar have not been fully understood due to its complex nature. In this study, characteristics of tar generated from different gasification stages were investigated. Korean pine woodchip was used as feedstock and tar was sampled in a separate way during devolatilization and char gasification stage, investigated. As a result. more various kinds of hydro carbon compounds were identified in the devolatilization stage than char gasification stage because primary tar compounds are released mostly from pyrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose. When the reaction temperature increased up to $900^{\circ}C$, tar composition becomes simplified into about 10 aromatic compounds mostly with 1-4 rings without substitution up to phenanthrene. The sampled tar in the char gasification stage mostly contains 5-7 simple aromatic compounds.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.783-791
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• 2015

A fluidized-bed reactor with an inside diameter of 0.1 m and a height of 1.2 m was used to study the effect of steam and catalyst additions to air-blown biomass gasification on the production of producer gas. The equipment consisted of a fluidized bed reactor, a fuel supply system, a cyclone, a condenser, two receivers, steam generator and gas analyzer. Silica sand with a mean particle diameter of $380{\mu}m$ was used as a bed material and calcined dolomite ($356{\mu}m$), which is effective in tar reduction and producer gas purification, was used as the catalyst. Both of Korea wood pellet (KWP) and a pellet form of EFB (empty fruit bunch) which is the byproduct of Southeast Asia palm oil extraction were examined as biomass feeds. In all the experiments, the feeding rates were 50 g/min for EFB and 38 g/min for KWP, respectively at the reaction temperature of $800^{\circ}C$ and an ER (equivalence ratio) of 0.25. The mixing ratio (0~100 wt%) of catalyst was applied to the bed material. Air or an air-steam mixture was used as the injection gas. The SBR (steam to biomass ratio) was 0.3. The composition, tar content, and lower heating value of the generated producer gas were measured. The addition of calcined dolomite decreased tar content in the producer gas with maximum reduction of 67.3 wt%. The addition of calcined dolomite in the air gasification reduced lower heating value of the producer gas. However The addition of calcined dolomite in the air-steam gasification slightly increased its lower heating value.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.318-326
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of non-used forest biomass residues as raw materials for making wood pellets with additives such as wood tar and starch and to evaluate fuel characteristics of the pellets. Wood tar, a by-product provided from the carbonization process of wood, could be a suitable additive for wood pellet production due to its higher calorific value and lower hazardous heavy metals, such as cadmium and mercury, compared to woody biomass. When the wood tar (10 wt%) was added, the calorific value was increased from 4,630 kcal/kg (wood pellet without additive) to 4,800 kcal/kg (wood pellet with additive). With the increase of additive amount into wood pellet, the length and individual density of wood pellet increased. In addition, bulk density of the pellets was increased, whereas the fine content was decreased. Consequently the overall productivity of wood pellets was improved by adding 2 w% additives into wood pellets; the percentage of productivity increase was 5.9% and 4.9% for adding starch and wood tar, respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.459-467
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• 2014

The catalytic steam reforming of toluene, a major component of biomass tar, was studied using several catalysts at various temperatures $400-800^{\circ}C$, kind of metal, and metal loading content. Ru and K promoted Ni-base catalyst were prepared, and used for steam reforming of toluene with steam/toluene molar ratio of 25. Concentration of toluene in reactant flow is $30g/Nm^3$ that is usual content of tar from biomass gasifier. The result from experiments showed that $H_2$ content in product gas and toluene conversion increased with temperature. Where in high temperature range, CO and $CO_2$ content in product gas were affected mainly by Boudouard reaction. Ni/Ru-K(3wt%)/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst showed best performance on steam reforming of toluene than used catalysts in this study at whole temperature. Catalysts have been characterized by XRD, TG. XRD analysis displayed that Ni particle size on Ni/Ru-K (3wt%)/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst was 29.4nm. Activation energy of Ni/Ru-K (3wt%)/$Al_2O_3$ catalyst was calculated 36.8kJ/mol by Arrhenius plot.