Valorization of Sugarcane Bagasse for Hydrogen-Rich Gas Production using Thermodynamic Modeling Approach

Abstract

Hydrothermal gasification also known as supercritical water gasification (SWG) has been considered a promising approach for converting wet biomass such as sugarcane bagasse into high-quality syngas. This study presents the thermodynamic modeling of the hydrothermal gasification of sugarcane bagasse using Aspen Plus. The effects of process parameters on the composition and yield of product gases were also investigated. It was found that the effect of temperature and biomass concentration were significant in the production of hydrogen-rich gas, while less impact was observed with pressure. The hydrogen gas (H2) produced with the highest mole fraction (56.70 mol%) and yield (103.26 kmol/kg) was obtained at 750°C and low biomass concentration of 10 wt%, while the lowest yield (1.52 kmol/kg) and mole fraction (2.45 mol%) of H2 were obtained at 450°C and high biomass concentration of 50 wt%. Findings from this study also showed that the highest net calorific value (17.55MJ/kg) was reached at 450˚C and 50 wt% of biomass concentration. This study would help to consolidate research on hydrothermal gasification of sugarcane bagasse and optimization of experimental processes and also serve as an important benchmark in the utilization of biomass as a clean energy source for future projects.