Hydrogen-rich gas from catalytic steam gasification of eucalyptus using nickel-loaded Thai brown coal char catalyst

Hydrogen gas production from eucalyptus by catalytic steam gasification was carried out in an atmospheric pressure of two-stage fixed bed. The gasifier was operated with the temperature range of 500–650 °C and steam partial pressure of 16, 30 and 45 kPa; nickel-loaded Thai brown coal char was used as a catalyst. The yields and compositions of the gasification products depend on the operating conditions, especially, the reaction temperature and the steam. The yield of H2 increased at elevated temperatures, from 26.94 to 46.68%, while that of CO dramatically decreased, from 70.21 to 37.71 mol%. The highest H2 yield, 46.68%, was obtained at the final gasifying temperature of 650 °C. Eucalyptus catalytic steam gasification indicated that the maximum H2/CO ratio reached 1.24 at the gasification temperature of 650 °C and the steam partial pressure of 30 kPa. It can be concluded that eucalyptus is appropriate for synthesis gas production from eucalyptus volatiles by catalytic steam gasification while using nickel-loaded brown coal char as a catalyst. •The Ni-loaded Thai brown coal char exhibited the highest catalytic behavior.•The catalytic steam gasification of eucalyptus was done at low temperatures.•H2 yield was 15.3 times of the yield obtained with no catalyst and steam additions.•H2 yield increased from 26.94 to 46.68 mol%, CO decreased from 70.21 to 37.71 mol%.