REACTION OF STEAM WITH CELLULOSE IN A FLUIDIZED-BED USING CONCENTRATED SUNLIGHT

Steam gasification of cellulose at high temperatures can yield synthes is gas in a process that stores and transports highly concentrated sol ar energy. We have characterized the composition of the product gas in the temperature range 1050-1600 K in opaque and transparent fluidized -bed reactors. Bed material was either a pure tabular alumina or a cru shed platinum-on-alumina catalyst. In both cases, the carbon present i n the cellulose feedstock was well converted to a gaseous product. How ever, in the tabular alumina bed, the product gas had the high hydroca rbon and low hydrogen content characteristic of a rapid or flash pyrol ysis process.