Tar formation under different biomass gasification conditions

Abstract Parametric tests on tar formation, varying temperature, equivalence ratio, and residence time, were performed on a bench-scale, indirectly-heated fluidized bed gasifier. Prepared tar samples were analyzed in a gas chromatograph (GC) with a flame ionization detector, using a capillary column. Standard test mixtures containing the dominant tar species were prepared for GC calibration. The identified peaks included single-ring hydrocarbons, such as benzene, to five-ring hydrocarbons, such as perylene; these compounds represent about 70–90% (mass basis) of the tar constituents. The influences of the above-mentioned gasification parameters on tar formation were analyzed.