A kinetics study on catalytic and non-catalytic steam gasification of biomass

Abstract An experimental study on catalytic and non-catalytic steam-gasification of sawdust has been conducted in a microsystem by exposing a small quantity (about 1 g) of sawdust to flash pyrolysis in an atmosphere of steam in the temperature range of 350 to 650°C. The results have been evaluated on the basis of loss of weight of sawdust and a detailed gas analysis through Orsat analyser and gas chromatograph. From the rate of gas evolution, i.e. volume fraction of gas collected with time, kinetic analysis was attempted through appropriate solid—gas-reaction models. Results of this analysis has been reported in the present paper.