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Paul J. Dauenhauer
Lanny D. Schmidt
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Thursday, January 31, 2008
102 Chemistry Building
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Abstract
Carbohydrates such as cellulose and starch constitute a major fraction of biomass available as agricultural residue, grasses, and trees.
Using RhCe/Al2O3 catalysts at residence times less than 70 milliseconds, these biopolymers can be directly converted to synthesis gas products near equilibrium.
Autothermal conversion is likely to occur by coupling the endothermic biomass decomposition process with highly exothermic catalytic partial oxidation.
By directly contacting carbohydrate particles with a hot catalytic surface capable of providing high heating rates, the solid particle forms volatile organics which flow into a porous catalyst and reform with oxygen to form synthesis gas.
Deactivation over 20 hrs of operation was not detected, possibly because the formation of char is limited by high particle heating rates.
Selectivity to H2 and CO from cellulose was observed ~50% near equilibrium maintaining 2/3 of the carbohydrate fuel value.