Gasifier Experimenters Kit

Biomass Energy Foundation: Synthetic FuelsSYNTHETIC FUELS BY GASIFICATIONHomeBiomassEnergyGasification &ReformingLiquid FuelsWoodCookingGasification is used to make synthetic fuels and chemicalssuch as methanol, ammonia, diesel fuel and even (withmore difficulty) gasoline. It is difficult to imagine ourcurrent civilization continuing without them.In 1980 we built a high pressure biomass oxygen gasifierat SERI/NREL (now the National Renewable Energy Lab).Eventually that became the "Syngas, Inc." gasifier,operated on oxygen at 25 tons/d and on air at 75 t/d. (SeeFUNDAMENTAL STUDY AND SCALE UP OF THE AIR-OXYGEN STRATIFIED DOWNDRAFT GASIFIER: T.Reed, M. Graboski and B. Levie (SERI 1988) in Books.EnergyRosetta StoneBookstoreWhen fossil fuels are gone or too expensive we can makethese necessities from coal and biomass with thefollowing three stages of reactions:About theBEFLinks1. Manufacture of synthesis gas:Biomass (or coal) + O2 ==> CO + H2(carbon monoxide and hydrogen)2. Water gas shift adjusts CO/H2 ratio:CO + H2O CO2 + H23. Synthesis with CatalystCO + 2 H2 ==> CH3OH (methanol)CO + H2 ==> "(CH2)n" (diesel or gasoline,the Fischer Tropsch reaction)http://www.woodgas.com/synthetic_fuels.htm (1 of 2) [10/9/2008 08:23:53]