Catalytic Conditioning and Conversion of Bio-Syngas: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-10-418

There is a critical need to increase the carbon yield of the gasification process. To this end, it has been suggested that tars and chars formed as by-products of gasification be re-injected into the gasifier. In this CRADA work facile and inexpensive methods of modifying chars and tars received from Enerkem are studied with the aim of increasing their gasification rate upon re-injection into the gasifier. Adding iron to the char, both in nitrate form and in clay form, speeds the CO2 gasification of the char (CO2 + C --> 2CO). It has been more difficult to speed the gasification of tar mixed with char, likely due to clogging of pores, resulting in a reduced accessible surface area.