(383e) Effect of Temperature and Oxidizing Medium On Tar Formation in Southern Pine Gasification

Synthesis gas (a.k.a. syngas) can be used as a feedstock in industrial applications for electricity, chemical and hydrocarbons production. However, each application has stringent syngas cleanliness requirements to avoid operational complications. Consequently, gasification syngas cleanup has emerged as a pivotal research area since the advancements have direct implications on the technical and economic viability of gasification. Tar, a major contaminant in synthesis gas, poses technical and operational issues ranging from equipment corrosion and fouling, environmental pollution and catalyst deactivation. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of temperature and oxidizing medium on tar formation and its mechanism in southern pine gasification. The effect of three temperature levels (600^oC, 700^oC, 800^oC) and two oxidizing media (steam and carbon dioxide) on the primary gases (CO, CO₂, CH₄ and H₂) and tar were studied using a bench-scale fluidized bed gasifier. A number of gas analysis instruments such as a GC/MS (Agilent 7890/5975), a micro GC (Agilent 490), a portable gas analyzer (Nova 7905AQN4), and an FTIR were used to collect the necessary information. Results from both experimental and mathematical studies will be presented.