Experimental investigations of hydrogen production from CO catalytic conversion of tar rich syngas by biomass gasification

In this paper, the activity of a cobalt/molybdenum (Co/Mo) commercial catalyst for the Water Gas Shift Reaction for hydrogen production was investigated in a three fixed-bed reactor pilot plant using a tar-rich synthesis gas from a full-scale biomass gasification plant as feed-stream. A parametric variation study was carried out to assess CO conversion (XCO) and selectivity for the water gas shift reaction as a function of the operating temperature (T) in the range 300–450 °C. The effects of four dry gas hourly space velocities (GHSV), Case A-Case D, two steam to dry synthesis gas ratios (H2O/SG), 56% v/v and 67% v/v, and a H2S concentration in the range 100–220 ppmv,db were investigated: the highest CO conversion (∼95%) was observed in the base case (Case A GHSV) at 67% v/v H2O/SG, and 450 °C, the lower the operating temperature the lower the CO concentration, the lower the gas hourly space velocity the higher the CO conversion and the higher the H2O/SG the higher the CO conversion. The effect of H2S variation on CO conversion was also studied, keeping the operating temperature constant (≈365 °C) and using the Case D GHSV: CO conversion increased as the H2S concentration increased and XCO ≈ 40%. Selectivity was not influenced by the parameters investigated. Finally, the effect of the catalyst on tar removal was studied and a CO conversion close to 85% was found.