Corrosion of ceramics for vinasse gasification in supercritical water

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is a very efficient process to convert wet biomass into energetic gases. Unfortunately, SCWG reactor may strongly corrode due to the addition of temperature, pressure and the presence of corrosive species. In the present paper, the corrosion of various ceramic materials in subcritical and supercritical water (SCW) gasification process was studied in a batch reactor. We compare the corrosion in distillated water and the corrosion in sugar beet slurry that will be gasified under supercritical conditions. The experimental temperatures were 350 °C and 550 °C and the pressure was 25 MPa. Technical ceramics (SiC, alumina, Y stabilized zirconia, Si3N4, BN, aluminosilicate, cordierite-mullite) show poor capability to sustain corrosion whereas graphite and glassy carbon are the highest performance materials in our working conditions.