Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process

Applying CO2 as a gasifying agent for renewable biomass feedstocks represents an innovative method of carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU) that could be carbon neutral. This effect has now been observed under low gasification temperatures of 600℃. When supplied at concentrations of 58.5 %v in a gasifyin...

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Main Authors: Michael J. Greencorn, S. David Jackson, Justin S.J. Hargreaves, Souvik Datta, Manosh C. Paul
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Journal of CO2 Utilization
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025001490
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author Michael J. Greencorn
S. David Jackson
Justin S.J. Hargreaves
Souvik Datta
Manosh C. Paul
author_facet Michael J. Greencorn
S. David Jackson
Justin S.J. Hargreaves
Souvik Datta
Manosh C. Paul
author_sort Michael J. Greencorn
collection DOAJ
description Applying CO2 as a gasifying agent for renewable biomass feedstocks represents an innovative method of carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU) that could be carbon neutral. This effect has now been observed under low gasification temperatures of 600℃. When supplied at concentrations of 58.5 %v in a gasifying agent mixture with argon, CO2 was consumed in the resulting reaction and used to gasify char while producing excess syngas CO. This indicates a concentration-based push to drive CO2 utilisation reactions is possible at mild-temperatures, but net-CO2 conversion was limited to 0.434 % under these conditions. Conversion was highest during the period of char reduction following pyrolysis, indicating the principal route of conversion is the reverse Boudouard reaction. Mild-temperature CO2 gasification yielded an excess of 0.80 mmol/g of CO while generating 0.353 mmol/g less char-carbon than comparable pyrolysis experiments, further demonstrating the reverse Boudouard CO2-char conversion mechanism is active under these conditions. The CO2 gasifying agent does not appear to change the onset of pyrolytic devolatilization processes, although minor char-CO2 interactions are observed during pyrolysis as char is formed. Additionally, the CO2 atmosphere yielded 2.642 mmol/g more CH4 during devolatilization compared to pyrolysis under an inert atmosphere. These results are further discussed in the context of gasifier and system design parameters that maximise the thermal efficiency of integrated biomass power and BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) cycles.
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spelling doaj-art-5add0d651ab546b6bdd7e45f2e18d2902025-08-20T03:32:24ZengElsevierJournal of CO2 Utilization2212-98392025-09-019910316510.1016/j.jcou.2025.103165Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation processMichael J. Greencorn0S. David Jackson1Justin S.J. Hargreaves2Souvik Datta3Manosh C. Paul4James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, UK; Division of Energy Processes, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE, SwedenSchool of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, UKSchool of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, UKHochschule für Wirtschaft, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Olten, CH, Switzerland; Center of Economic Research, ETH Zürich, CH, SwitzerlandJames Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, UK; Corresponding author.Applying CO2 as a gasifying agent for renewable biomass feedstocks represents an innovative method of carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU) that could be carbon neutral. This effect has now been observed under low gasification temperatures of 600℃. When supplied at concentrations of 58.5 %v in a gasifying agent mixture with argon, CO2 was consumed in the resulting reaction and used to gasify char while producing excess syngas CO. This indicates a concentration-based push to drive CO2 utilisation reactions is possible at mild-temperatures, but net-CO2 conversion was limited to 0.434 % under these conditions. Conversion was highest during the period of char reduction following pyrolysis, indicating the principal route of conversion is the reverse Boudouard reaction. Mild-temperature CO2 gasification yielded an excess of 0.80 mmol/g of CO while generating 0.353 mmol/g less char-carbon than comparable pyrolysis experiments, further demonstrating the reverse Boudouard CO2-char conversion mechanism is active under these conditions. The CO2 gasifying agent does not appear to change the onset of pyrolytic devolatilization processes, although minor char-CO2 interactions are observed during pyrolysis as char is formed. Additionally, the CO2 atmosphere yielded 2.642 mmol/g more CH4 during devolatilization compared to pyrolysis under an inert atmosphere. These results are further discussed in the context of gasifier and system design parameters that maximise the thermal efficiency of integrated biomass power and BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) cycles.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025001490Carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU)Biomass gasificationPyrolysisNet-zero emissionsEnhanced syngasBiomass Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilisation (BECCUS)
spellingShingle Michael J. Greencorn
S. David Jackson
Justin S.J. Hargreaves
Souvik Datta
Manosh C. Paul
Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process
Journal of CO2 Utilization
Carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU)
Biomass gasification
Pyrolysis
Net-zero emissions
Enhanced syngas
Biomass Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilisation (BECCUS)
title Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process
title_full Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process
title_fullStr Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process
title_full_unstemmed Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process
title_short Mild-temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon-neutral CO2 utilisation process
title_sort mild temperature gasification of biomass as a carbon neutral co2 utilisation process
topic Carbon dioxide utilisation (CDU)
Biomass gasification
Pyrolysis
Net-zero emissions
Enhanced syngas
Biomass Energy with Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilisation (BECCUS)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212982025001490
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