Value-Added Utilization of Biochar In Syngas Cleanup and Conditioning

2011 USDA-NIFA Seed Award

                        
Principal Investigators and affiliations:
PI:  Dr. Donghai Wang (Kansas State University)
Co-PI:  Dr. Wenqiao Yuan (North Carolina State University)
Co-PI:  Dr. Ajay Kumar (Oklahoma State University)
Co-PI:  Dr. Krushna Patil (Oklahoma State University)
Co-PI:  Dr. Danielle Bellmer (Oklahoma State University)
Funded: $159,954
Start Date: 11/1/2011

End Date: 10/31/2014

 

Expected Outcomes

The goal of this project is to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of biomass gasification through value-added utilization of biochar byproduct and effective cleanup and upgrading of syngas.

 

This research will improve the economic and environmental sustainability of biomass gasification through value-added utilization of the biochar byproduct and effective syngas cleanup and enhancement. Biochar will be generated from a fixed-bed updraft gasifier, a downdraft gasifier, and a fluidized-bed gasifier at three combustion zone temperatures, for three biomass feedstocks (switchgrass, sorghum and polar tree). Correlations among biochar properties, biomass type, combustion zone temperature, syngas quality, and gasification energy balance will be determined. Such information will be used by syngas producers to guide selection of biomass, optimize gasification conditions, and improve gasification system design to obtain desirable biochar and maximum syngas production.