Performance of Water-Leached Coal Bottom Ash as Catalyst in Thermogravimetric Analyser (TGA) Biomass Gasification

Abstract

The catalytic gasification of palm kernel shell in Thermogravimetric Analyser (TGA) with a mass spectrometer setup using water-leached coal bottom ash (CBA) is presented in this research work. The leaching temperature, time and liquid volume to solid (L/s) ratio were varied in the design of experiment using response surface methodology (RSM). Effects of the interaction between these parameters were plotted in 3D surface plots. Maximum H₂ and syngas contents obtained in the steam gasification at 700 °C were 40.78 vol% and 70.94 vol%. CBA leached for 6.5 h at 66.20 °C and L/s ratio of 4 with 81.26 Å pore width, 0.004 cm²/g pore volume and 1.90 m²/g BET surface area produced the highest H₂ content while that treated for 6.5 h at 45 °C and L/s ratio of 2.59 with 50.01 Å pore width, 0.004 cm²/g pore volume and 3.0583 m²/g BET surface area produced the highest syngas content. The CO₂ content of the gas produced was less than 2 vol%. L/s ratio is the most influential of the leaching parameters affecting H₂ and syngas production.