Determination of the Kinetics of A High Temperature Lignin and Water Gasification Reaction

With the inevitable decline of fossil fuel production and increasing environmental concerns, biomass has become an important alternative fuel source. Biomass can be reacted with water at high temperatures (1000-1250 degrees C) to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide gasses, which can further be processed into usable fuels. The reaction between lignin (an important component of biomass) and water can be monitored by thermo gravitational analysis (TGA) and mass spectroscopy. The TGA collects time and mass data from the system and this data can be used to determine the rate law of the reaction. Mass spectroscopy is used throughout the process to monitor side reactions as well as possible leaks in the system. Using the information gained from this experimentation, the rate of reaction between lignin and water can be determined as a function of the mass of biomass, temperature, and flow rate of water. This poster will present the results obtained from the analysis of the TGA and mass spectroscopy data, and the rate law that was found.