Mechanisms of catalytic biomass gasification

This paper discusses possible mechanisms for the pyrolytic reaction of biomass with steam in the presence of alkali carbonate and supported-nickel catalysts. In addition to catalyzing the carbon/steam reaction, the alkali carbonates alter the biomass pyrolysis reaction path-ways, producing gas and char at the expense of tars. Nickel catalyst, while quite effective for secondary tar and gas reactions, tend to lose activity over time; therefore, studies of these catalysts were directed toward identifying mechanisms of carbon deposition, the primary cause of catalyst deactivation.