Simultaneous effect of temperature and pressure on catalytic hydrothermal gasification of glucose

WOS: 000314385100021Gasification of glucose in near- and supercritical water was investigated at temperature and pressure ranges from 400 to 600 degrees C and 20 to 42.5 MPa with a reaction time of 1 h. Hydrothermal gasification of glucose was performed in the absence and presence of catalyst (K2CO3) in a batch reactor. The influences of temperature and pressure in the supercritical regimes of water, catalyst were examined in relation to the yield and composition of the gases and aqueous products. The product gases were analyzed by gas chromatography, and the aqueous products were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The gases produced were carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and C-2-C-4 hydrocarbons and there was significant production of aqueous products and residue. The aqueous products composed of oxygenated compounds, including carboxylic acids (glycolic acid, formic acid, acetic acid), furfurals (furfural, 5-hydroxymethyl furfural, 5-methyl furfural), phenols (phenol, methyl phenols, hydroxy phenols, methoxy phenols), aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acetone, propionaldehyde), ketones (3-methyl-2-cyclo-pentene-1-one,2-cyclo-pentene-1-one) and their alkylated derivatives. Carbon gasification efficiencies were improved by addition of K2CO3 into the reacting system. Carbon gasification efficiency reached maximum (94%) at 600 degrees C and 20 MPa. The yield of hydrogen among gaseous products increased with increasing temperature and decreasing pressure. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [109M284]; EBILTEMEge University [2010BIL023]We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) (Project No: 109M284) and EBILTEM (Project No: 2010BIL023). Thanks go to Mr. Gursel Serin for the feed preparation procedure and the mechanical work during the experiments