Hydrogen-rich gas production from algae-biomass by lowtemperature catalytic gasification

M.R. DÍAZ-REY; M. CORTÉS-REYES; C. HERRERA; M.A. LARRUBIA; N . AMADEO; M LABORDE; L.J. ALEMANY

CATALYSIS TODAY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2015 p. 177 - 184

0920-5861

tH2rich gas produced from Scenedesmus almeriensis biomass residue after lipidic extraction by low temper-ature catalytic gasification is addressed. The pyrolysis?gasification behavior under different atmospheres(CO2/He, H2O/He and CO2+ H2O/He) were investigated using thermal gravimetric analysis. The conver-sion of the biomass takes place into three stages, according to its composition and corresponding to: looseof water bonded (30?200◦C), major pyrolysis involving devolatilization (200?500◦C) and decompositionof bio-char produced (500?800◦C). The calculated apparent activation energy for the main pyrolysis stagewas 97 kJ mol−1. Ni-based supported alumina catalysts (Ni, Ni?Pt and Ni?Rh) were prepared by impreg-nation. The catalyst influence on the final gas composition as well as in its HHV determined in mixedCO2+ H2O/He gasification carried out in a double fixed bed reactor configuration with the catalyst locatedin the second bed upstream. Parallel and secondary reactions as reforming of tar and char together withWGS and Boudouard also take place favoring gas fraction yield with a value close to 0.3 Nm3of gas perkg of biomass. The catalytic role of Ni?Pt/Al2O3catalyst in further reforming of the gas resulting from thegasification improves H2content even at low temperature interval (600?700◦C).