I am a final-year Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering, specializing in catalysis and reaction engineering with a focus on sustainable energy technologies. My current research aims to develop an advanced gasification platform for producing clean hydrogen from renewable biomass, a crucial step in supporting the global shift toward a low-carbon, hydrogen-driven economy.
The core of my project, titled "Producing Clean Hydrogen Using a Modular Two-Stage Intensified Fluidized bed Catalytic Gasifier," involves the design, optimization, and demonstration of a process-intensified two-stage bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) gasifier. The system is engineered to operate without traditional fossil-based gasifying agents, instead utilizing oxygen-rich biomass and internal process loops to drive thermochemical conversion.
This novel configuration features two catalyst-beds arranged in series, each maintained at distinct temperature zones to sequentially facilitate primary biomass gasification, tar cracking, and both high- and low-temperature water-gas shift (WGS) reactions. This staged approach enhances reaction selectivity, maximizes hydrogen yield, and enables tight control over product gas composition. Advanced catalyst formulations based on nickel and iron have been developed and tested to promote reforming reactions and resist deactivation under reactive conditions.
A key innovation of the system lies in its integrated CO₂ capture mechanism, which utilizes solid sorbents to selectively remove CO₂ from the syngas stream. This not only generates a sequestration-ready CO₂ output but also allows for syngas recycling back into the gasifier, driving the conversion reactions further toward hydrogen production and improving overall process efficiency.
Through effective heat and mass integration, minimized external inputs, and elimination of air or steam as primary gasifying agents, the proposed system demonstrates a viable route to scalable, carbon-efficient hydrogen generation. The insights from this work contribute to the broader goals of green manufacturing, energy process intensification, and industrial decarbonization, aligning well with current and future needs in sustainable process development.
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