EFFECT OF ADDING IRON-LOADED BIOCHAR ON STEAM GASIFICATION OF SUBBITUMINOUS COAL

Iron-loaded woody biochar, which can be used as a catalyst and feedstock, was added to Indonesian Adaro sub-bituminous coal or coal char for steam gasification in a fixed-type reactor. This study aimed to determine the optimal content of added iron-loaded biochar for steam co-gasification in this system and the best time to add it. The amount of hydrogen evolution observed for the mixture of iron-loaded biochar and Adaro coal at 800 ºC was much higher than that observed for the mixture of iron-loaded biochar and coal char. The optimal ratio of iron-loaded Japanese cedar biochar to Indonesian Adaro subbituminous coal char was determined to be 1:1 by weight. X-ray diffraction patterns of the different mixtures after pyrolysis revealed that the iron catalyst contained in the iron-loaded biochar may affect the pyrolysis of Adaro coal. The mechanism by which the iron catalyst in iron-loaded biochar promoted the co-gasification reactivity was also discussed.