Composition and energy potential of industrial sludge derived synthetic gas

Abstract

The study focused on the synthetic gas formation and gasification efficiency of an industrial sludge. Optimum conditions for gasification were determined and content of synthetic gas was investigated. Gasification is a partial oxidation process whereby a carbon source such as coal, natural gas or biomass, is broken down into carbon monoxide and hydrogen, plus carbon dioxide and possibly hydrocarbon molecules such as methane. It is reported that during the gasification process, all of the useful molecules which produce energy when burned are separated from the unwanted parts of the organic matter such as soot, tar, and ash. Therefore, this process is much cleaner than combustion process. Gasification studies over 700 degrees C produced a synthetic gas that involved 20%-30% CO, 30%-40% H-2 and 5%-15% CH4 by volume. Calorific values of 2000 kcal/m(3) in average and maximum 3000 kcal/m(3) were achieved by gasification both with dried air and pure oxygen as gasification agents.