Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst
Biochar is an efficient catalyst for tar removal from syngas during biomass gasification. The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst. A series of in situ steam tar reforming experiments were carried out using a two-stage fluidized-bed/fixed-...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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ELSEVIER SCI LTD
2021
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91771 |
| _version_ | 1848765587955646464 |
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| author | Liu, Y. Paskevicius, Mark Wang, H. Parkinson, G. Wei, J. Asif Akhtar, M. Li, Chun-Zhu |
| author_facet | Liu, Y. Paskevicius, Mark Wang, H. Parkinson, G. Wei, J. Asif Akhtar, M. Li, Chun-Zhu |
| author_sort | Liu, Y. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Biochar is an efficient catalyst for tar removal from syngas during biomass gasification. The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst. A series of in situ steam tar reforming experiments were carried out using a two-stage fluidized-bed/fixed-bed reactor at 800 °C. Mallee wood biochar (106–250 μm) was activated in 15 vol% H2O balanced with Ar for different times (0–50 min) and then used as a catalyst for tar reforming. The on-line gas composition, light tar composition and the pore structure of biochar were analysed using mass spectrometer (MS), GC–MS and synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) respectively. An increased ratio of H2/CO was observed after reforming with biochar compared to reforming without biochar. The destruction of light tar compounds, especially the non-oxygen-containing compounds, was significantly enhanced when activated biochars were used. Steam activation increased the specific surface area (SSA), micro- and mesopore volumes in biochar while the values stayed almost unchanged during tar reforming. Results indicate that the micro- and mesopores in biochar promote the diffusion of both small and large tar molecules into the internal surface of biochar. However, the catalytic activity of biochar for tar reforming mainly depends on the content of O-containing functional groups in biochar. The O-containing functional groups facilitate the dissociation of tar molecules to form tar radicals, giving rise to the enhanced tar removal efficiency. Moreover, the formation of tar radicals over O-containing functional groups appears as the rate-limiting step in the process of catalytic reforming of tar over biochar catalysts. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:37:38Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-91771 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:37:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | ELSEVIER SCI LTD |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-917712023-06-06T03:57:20Z Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst Liu, Y. Paskevicius, Mark Wang, H. Parkinson, G. Wei, J. Asif Akhtar, M. Li, Chun-Zhu Science & Technology Technology Energy & Fuels Engineering, Chemical Engineering Steam tar reforming Biochar catalyst Specific surface area Pore volume Mechanism VOLATILE-CHAR INTERACTIONS BIOMASS GASIFICATION TECHNOLOGY IN-SITU DESTRUCTION AROMATIC STRUCTURES PORE DEVELOPMENT NASCENT TAR PART III PYROLYSIS DECOMPOSITION WOOD Biochar is an efficient catalyst for tar removal from syngas during biomass gasification. The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst. A series of in situ steam tar reforming experiments were carried out using a two-stage fluidized-bed/fixed-bed reactor at 800 °C. Mallee wood biochar (106–250 μm) was activated in 15 vol% H2O balanced with Ar for different times (0–50 min) and then used as a catalyst for tar reforming. The on-line gas composition, light tar composition and the pore structure of biochar were analysed using mass spectrometer (MS), GC–MS and synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) respectively. An increased ratio of H2/CO was observed after reforming with biochar compared to reforming without biochar. The destruction of light tar compounds, especially the non-oxygen-containing compounds, was significantly enhanced when activated biochars were used. Steam activation increased the specific surface area (SSA), micro- and mesopore volumes in biochar while the values stayed almost unchanged during tar reforming. Results indicate that the micro- and mesopores in biochar promote the diffusion of both small and large tar molecules into the internal surface of biochar. However, the catalytic activity of biochar for tar reforming mainly depends on the content of O-containing functional groups in biochar. The O-containing functional groups facilitate the dissociation of tar molecules to form tar radicals, giving rise to the enhanced tar removal efficiency. Moreover, the formation of tar radicals over O-containing functional groups appears as the rate-limiting step in the process of catalytic reforming of tar over biochar catalysts. 2021 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91771 10.1016/j.fuel.2021.120672 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT160100303 ELSEVIER SCI LTD fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Science & Technology Technology Energy & Fuels Engineering, Chemical Engineering Steam tar reforming Biochar catalyst Specific surface area Pore volume Mechanism VOLATILE-CHAR INTERACTIONS BIOMASS GASIFICATION TECHNOLOGY IN-SITU DESTRUCTION AROMATIC STRUCTURES PORE DEVELOPMENT NASCENT TAR PART III PYROLYSIS DECOMPOSITION WOOD Liu, Y. Paskevicius, Mark Wang, H. Parkinson, G. Wei, J. Asif Akhtar, M. Li, Chun-Zhu Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| title | Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| title_full | Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| title_fullStr | Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| title_short | Insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| title_sort | insights into the mechanism of tar reforming using biochar as a catalyst |
| topic | Science & Technology Technology Energy & Fuels Engineering, Chemical Engineering Steam tar reforming Biochar catalyst Specific surface area Pore volume Mechanism VOLATILE-CHAR INTERACTIONS BIOMASS GASIFICATION TECHNOLOGY IN-SITU DESTRUCTION AROMATIC STRUCTURES PORE DEVELOPMENT NASCENT TAR PART III PYROLYSIS DECOMPOSITION WOOD |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101788 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/91771 |