STEAM GASIFICATION OF BIOMASS WITH NICKEL SECONDARY CATALYSTS

Nickel secondary catalysts are effective for increasing the gas yield from steam gasification of biomass by converting tars and other hydrocarbons to gas. Coke buildup on the catalyst can cause loss of catalyst effectiveness in a very short time. Bench-scale gasification tests showed that coke buildup can be prevented if the catalyst is used in a separate fluid bed reactor. When the catalyst was used in the primary gasification reactor or in a separate fixed bed reactor, rapid catalyst deactivation occurred.