Evaluation of high temperature gas cleaning options for biomass gasification product gas for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

An analysis of high temperature gas cleaning systems for cleaning the product gas of biomass gasification for fueling solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is presented. Influence of biomass derived contaminants on SOFCs is briefly presented and the removal of potential contaminants such as tar, particulates, H2S and HCl, alkali compounds from biosyngas is reviewed. It appears that the gasification product gas can be cleaned to meet the requirements of SOFCs based on Ni/GDC anodes at high temperatures (typically in the range of 1023–1223 K) by using currently known gas cleaning methods. Although information from literature, results from chemical equilibrium studies and preliminary experiments were sufficient to put forward a conceptual design for a high temperature gas cleaning system, detailed experimental investigations are still required. This is needed to obtain detailed information on contaminant tolerance of SOFCs, and to arrive at detailed designs of gas cleaning units that are economically viable for biomass gasifier-SOFC systems.