Biomass Gasification with Air in Fluidized Bed. Hot Gas Cleanup with Selected Commercial and Full-Size Nickel-Based Catalysts

Three selected commercial, full-size steam-reforming catalysts for naphthas, BASF G1-50, ICI 46-1, and Topsøe R-67, are tested at pilot-scale level for hot gas cleanup in biomass gasification in a fluidized bed. Gas composition and tar content in the flue gas are measured before and after the catalytic bed. Variations of the catalytic bed in H2, CO, CO2, CH4, and H2O contents are reported for different operating conditions. Tar conversions and an apparent first-order kinetics constant for the overall tar removal reaction are calculated. Tar contents at the exit of the catalytic reactor as low as 10 mg/mn 3 are obtained in a test of 50 h-on-stream without noticeable catalyst deactivation. Important variations in tar conversion with space time in the catalytic bed, with H2O/C* in the flue gas, and with the equivalence ratio in the upstream gasifier are observed. These results obtained at the pilot-scale level and with the use of full-sized commercial catalysts are an important forward step in demonstrating the technical feasibility of the overall biomass gasification process.