Gasification of Biomass in Supercritical Water, Challenges for the Process Design—Lessons Learned from the Operation Experience of the First Dedicated Pilot Plant

Gasification of organic matter under the conditions supercritical water (T > 374 °C, p 221 bar) is an allothermal, continuous flow process suitable to convert materials with high moisture content (<20 wt.% dry matter) into a combustible gas. The gasification as solvent offers several benefits, particularly omission energy-intensive drying process. reactions are fast, and mean residence times inside reactor consequently low (less than 5 min). However, there still various challenges be met. combination temperature pressure concentration require robust design. Additionally, value feed product predestinate for decentralized applications, which challenge economics application. present contribution summarizes experience gained during more 10 years operation first dedicated pilot plant biomass. emphasis lies on highlighting in In addition some fundamental results from comparable laboratory plants, selected experimental “VERENA” (acronym German expression “experimental facility energetic exploitation agricultural matter”) presented.