Char and Coke Formation as Unwanted Side Reaction of the Hydrothermal Biomass Gasification

Abstract

Abstract The hydrothermal biomass gasification is a promising technology to produce hydrogen and/or methane from wet biomass with a water content of ≥ 80 % (g/g). In the process, the coke formation usually is very low, but already low amounts may cause problems like, e.g., fouling in the heat exchanger. To learn more about the product formation, the results of the hydrothermal treatment (at 400, 500, 600 °C and 1 h) of different biomass feedstocks (artichoke stalk, pinecone, sawdust, and cellulose as model biomass) in a microreactor are compared. The gas composition and the total organic carbon content of the aqueous phase were determined after reaction. The gas formation rises with increasing temperature. The formation of carbon deposits and their characterization has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The variation of the solid morphology during the hydrothermal conversion is discussed based on chemical pathways occurring during hydrothermal biomass degradation.