The thermo-chemical potential liquid chemical looping gasification with bismuth oxide

Abstract The thermodynamic potential of a chemical looping gasification with liquid bismuth oxide for the production of syngas was assessed using thermo-chemical analysis. In the proposed process, the feedstock is partially oxidised by the molten bismuth in the gasification reactor and then oxidised with air in the air reactor. The motivation for this process is its potential to avoid both the technical challenges associated with the use of solid oxygen carriers in conventional chemical looping gasification systems (e.g. agglomeration and sintering of solid-state oxygen carrier) and the challenge of dilution of syngas with nitrogen that occurs in conventional air gasification systems. This revealed thermochemical potential to achieve a higher quality of syngas for a given amount of steam than has been reported previously for other gasification systems at a moderate temperature of 850 °C. Plausible approaches to address the research challenges that need to be overcome to implement the method are also identified, justifying further development of the technology.