Comprehensive study of the influence of total pressure on products yields in fluidized bed gasification of wood sawdust

Wood sawdust gasification experiments were performed in a steam fluidized bed at 800 °C between 2 and 10 bar. An evolution of gas yields with time was measured during the tests, and especially an increase of hydrogen and carbon dioxide yields. This test duration effect was ascribed to char build-up in the bed. As tests proceed, the contribution of char steam gasification to gas yield increases, and the catalytic effect of char on hydrocarbons and tar conversion and on water-gas shift reaction is enhanced.As total pressure increases from 2 to 10 bar, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane yields increase by 16%, 53% and 38% respectively, whereas carbon monoxide yield decreases by 33%. The changes in gaseous yields with pressure can be partly explained by the influence of pressure on gas phase reactions (acceleration of water-gas shift kinetics and change in hydrocarbon reactions). The increase of methane yield with pressure is rather suggested to be linked to a change in secondary pyrolysis reactions scheme under high pressure.