Fluidized bed co-gasification of biomass and polymeric wastes for a flexible end-use of the syngas: Focus on bio-methanol

Currently a great emphasis is being placed on simplification and cost reduction in the production process of methanol from renewable biomass sources. The experimental results obtained in this work, using a pre-pilot fluidized bed gasifier, demonstrate that the co-gasification of regional biomass residues with PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or tyre wastes may be regarded as a useful strategy to achieve the above goals. In fact, the product gas composition resulting from the presence of the aforesaid polymeric wastes in the fuel blend is such that the gas from the steam reforming unit does not need to be further conditioned in a water-gas shift reactor; the sole carbon dioxide capture process is sufficient to meet the requirements for the downstream methanol production. No significant differences in gas composition were observed moving from the PET to tyre-based pellets, but penalties were noted for the latter concerning tar and particulate generation.