J. Corella et al., Biomass gasification with air in a fluidized bed: Exhaustive tar elimination with commercial steam reforming catalysts, ENERG FUEL, 13(3), 1999, pp. 702-709
Seven different commercial nickel-based catalysts for steam reforming of li
ght hydrocarbons and of heavier hydrocarbons were tested for tar removal in
a flue gas from an atmospheric fluidized bed biomass gasifier, using air a
s the gasifying agent. The catalysts were provided by BASF AG, ICI-Katalco,
Haldor Topsoe a/s, and United Catalyst Inc. The facility used is a small p
ilot plant, and the catalytic reactor operates in full flow with a real gas
ification gas. A guard bed with a calcined dolomite is used to decrease the
tar content at the inlet of the catalytic bed to a level below 2 g/m(n)(3)
. The variables studied include the temperature (730-850 degrees C) of the
catalytic bed, gas residence time, steam content in the flue gas, and compo
sition of the reacting atmosphere. All catalysts for steam reforming of nap
hthas provide a similar and very high activity. Values of the apparent acti
vation energy and preexponential factor are given and analyzed for the most
active catalysts. The catalyst life is also studied. No deactivation is ob
served with times-on-stream of up to 65 h.