Characteristics of reactivity and structures of palm kernel shell (PKS) biochar during CO_2/H_2O mixture gasification

Palm kernel shell(PKS)biochars with different levels of carbon conversion were initially prepared using a tube furnace,after which the reactivity of each sample was assessed with a thermogravimetric analyzer under a CO_2 atmosphere.The pore structure and carbon ordering of each biochar also examined,employing a surface area analyzer and a Raman spectroscopy.Thermogravimetric results showed that the gasification index R_sof the PKS biochar decreased from 0.0305 min^(-1) at carbon conversion(x)=20% to 0.0278 min^(-1)at x=40%.The expansion of micropores was the dominant process during the pore structure evolution,ad mesopores with sizes ranging from 6 to 20,48 to 50 nm were primarily generated during gasification under a CO_2/H_2O mixture.The proportion of amorphous carbon in the PKS biochar decreased significantly as x increased,suggesting that the proportion of ordered carbon was increased during the CO_2/H_2O mixed gasification.A significantly reduced total reaction time was observed when employing a CO_2/intermittent H_2O process along with an 83.46% reduction in the steam feed,compared with the amount required using a CO_2/H_2O atmosphere.

Chemical looping gasification of sewage sludge using copper slag modified by NiO as an oxygen carrier

Chemical looping gasification(CLG) provides a novel approach to dispose the sewage sludge.In order to improve the reactivity of the calcined copper slag,NiO modification is considered as one of the good solutions.The copper slag calcined at 1100℃ doped with 20 wt% NiO(Ni20-CS) was used as an oxygen carrier(OC) in sludge CLG in the work.The modification of NiO can evidently enhance the reactivity of copper slag to promote the sludge conversion,especially for sludge char conversion.The carbon conversion and valid gas yield(V_(g)) increase from 67.02% and 0.23 m^(3)·kg^(-1) using the original OC to 78.34% and 0.29 m^(3)·kg^(-1) using the Ni20-CS OC, respectively.The increase of equivalent coefficient(Ω) facilitates the sludge conversion and a suitable Ω value is determined at 0.47 to obtain the highest valid gas yield(0.29 m^(3)·kg^(-1)).A suitable steam content is assigned at 27.22% to obtain the maximum carbon conversion of 87.09%,where an acceptable LHV of 12.63 MJ·m^(-3) and Vg of 0.39 m^(3)·kg^(-1)are obtained.Although the reactivity of Ni20-CS OC gradually decreases with the increase in cycle numbers because of the generation of NiFe_(2) O_(4-δ) species,the deposition of sludge ash containing many metallic elements is beneficial to the sludge conversion.As a result,the carbon conversion shows a slight uptrend with the increase of cycle numbers in sludge CLG.It indicates that the Ni20-CS sample is a good OC for sludge CLG.