Experimental investigation on hydrogen production by biomass gasification in a fluidization bed system with supercritical water

Glucose used as a biomass model compound was gasified for hydrogen production in the new supercritical water fluidization bed system with temperature of 500-600°C and pressure of 23-27 MPa. The influences of main parameters, including temperature, pressure, feedstock concentration and catalyst addition, on the gasification process were discussed. The experiment results show that temperature is the key factor and pressure has a minor effect on glucose gasification. Higher temperature and pressure is in favor of glucose gasification. Gasification performance of glucose decreases with the increasing concentration, and 30wt% glucose was gasified stably during long-term operations. Gasification efficiency increases and molar fraction of CO decreases with the addition of K₂CO₃. ZnCl₂ addition has no significant effect on the gasification efficiency, but it improves the selectivity of hydrogen in gas product. Experimental research also shows that the supercritical water fluidization bed system is effective for hydrogen production by biomass gasification.