Catalytic effects observed during the co-gasification of coal and switchgrass

Robert C. Brown, Qin Liu, and Glenn Norton

Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies, Iowa State University, 284 Metals Development, Ames, IA 50011, USA

Biomass and Bioenergy 18, 499-506, 2000.

ABSTRACT

We are investigating catalytic gasification of coal char using biomass-derived potassium salts.  Alkali metal salts, especially those containing potassium, are excellent promoters of gasification reactions but are generally considered too expensive for commerical use. Fast-growing biomass, which contains large quantities of potassium, may prove to be an excellent source of inexpensive gasification catalyst.  A series of CO2-char gasification tests were performed in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) to evaluate the catalytic activity of alkali-rich biomass-derived materials.  Both switchgrass char and switchgrass ash displayed catalytic activity in mixtures with coal char produced from Illinois No. 6 coal.  The results obtained with switchgrass ash were especially impressive, with an almost eight-fold increase in coal char gasification rate at 895°C in a 10:90 mixture of coal char and switchgrass ash. These results give encouragement that biomass could be the source of inexpensive, coal gasification catalysts.

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