Alkali-feldspar as catalyst for upgrading energy gas from biomass gasification

Research Project, 2016

The present project contributes to research on catalytic bed materials for gas cleaning in the context of biomass indirect gasification. Appropriate catalysts for gas upgrading should be cheap, have high mechanical stability, not contain hazardous compounds, present a high activity towards tars, not possess the ability to transport oxygen and should be resistant to fluidized bed conditions. Here, the idea is to introduce a new material in this application, namely a naturally occurring alkali-feldspar (K, Na)AlSi3O8. This ore fulfills the aforementioned properties and was proven as highly promising in a pre-study.

In the project, this material will be introduced as bed material in the unique semi-industrial Chalmers indirect gasifier, giving the possibility to thoroughly scrutinize its behavior in larger scale. The principal goal of the project is to show that one can successfully use the alkali-feldspar as an alternative to olivine for upgrading an energy gas from a biomass gasifier.