Thermocatalytic Process for the Gasification of High-Moisture Food Processing Wastes.

摘要

Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is developing a thermocatalytic gasification system that converts high-moisture organic solid wastes to a medium-Btu (450 to 550 Btu/scf) fuel gas. High-COD liquid wastes can also be treated but may require the use of supplemental fuel. A 1-liter batch reactor has been used to gasify a number of food processing wastes, including fruit pomace, potato peeling sludge, cheese whey, and brewer's spent grain. The waste is gasified in the presence of a nickel catalyst at 350/degree/C to 400/degree/C and 2000 to 4000 psig. Carbon conversion to gas is typically 90 to 95 wt% after 15 to 30 min. Methane yields of up to 6.3 scf/dry pound of spent grain have been obtained, with the methane content of the raw gas ranging from 45 vol% to 55 vol%. Data obtained from the batch reactor studies indicate that the process is a net energy produced for most organic waste streams containing more than 2 wt% solids. The PNL process is currently being tested in a continuous reactor system designed to obtain reactor engineering and design data which will be required for process scaleup. Results from both the batch and continuous reactor systems are presented in this paper. Plans for a pilot-scale demonstration facility are also discussed. 2 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs. (ERA citation 14:014483)