Catalytic gasification of oil-extracted residue biomass of Botryococcus braunii. (September 2015) - Watanabe, Hideo
Highlights: Catalytic gasification of oil-extracted residue of Botryococcus braunii was performed. Gas conversion of 91%-C without tar was attained at 1023 K by Ni–Fe/Mg/Al catalyst. Composition of product gas with high contents of H2 and CO was suitable as syngas. H2 yield of 74.7 mmol g-biomass −1 obtained was much higher than others reported. The residue biomass can be a superior renewable source of syngas or hydrogen. Abstract: Catalytic gasification of the oil-extracted residue biomass of Botryococcus braunii was demonstrated in a laboratory-scale continuous feeding dual bed reactor. Steam gasification at 1023 K over Ni–Fe/Mg/Al catalyst can completely reform tar derived from pyrolysis of the residue biomass into C1 gases and hydrogen, and has achieved 91%-C conversion to gaseous product (CO + CO2 + CH4 ). Composition of product gas has higher contents of CO and H2 with their ratio (H2 /CO) of around 2.4 which is slightly H2 -rich syngas. Maximum hydrogen yield of 74.7 mmol g-biomass −1 obtained in this work is much higher than that from gasification of other algal biomass reported in literature. The residue biomass of B . braunii can be a superior renewable source of syngas or hydrogen.