Solar receiver/reactor for hydrogen production with biomass gasification in supercritical water

A novel receiver/reactor driven by concentrating solar energy for hydrogen production by supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of biomass was designed, constructed and tested. Model compound (glucose) and real biomass (corncob) were successfully gasified under SCW conditions to generate hydrogen-rich fuel gas in the apparatus. It is found that the receiver/reactor temperature increased with the increment of the direct normal solar irradiation (DNI). Effects of the DNI, the flow rates and concentration of the feedstocks as well as alkali catalysts addition were investigated. The results showed that DNI and flow rates of reactants have prominent effects on the temperature of reactor wall and gasification results. Higher DNI and lower feed concentrations favor the biomass gasification for hydrogen production. The encouraging results indicate a promising approach for hydrogen production with biomass gasification in supercritical water using concentrated solar energy.