2002 年 27 巻 1 号 p. 23-28
A process calculation based on chemical thermodynamics and mass and heat balances is conducted for a new process of supercritical water biomass gasification, where the effluent containing unreacted organic compounds is processed with supercritical water oxidation, and the heat of oxidation is utilized to heat biomass feedstock. Partial oxidation is also applied so that rapid heating of the feedstock is attained. Although incomplete gasification and partial oxidation results in reduction of the available heat of biomass, by utilization of heat of oxidation, large temperature difference that enables effective heat recovery is attained. This large temperature difference is expected to realize higher heat exchanger efficiency. Process simulation was conducted for the proposed process, and energy efficiency was calculated. Energy efficiency of 69% is obtained on on primary energy basis. When electricity consumption at activated sludge process is included, an efficiency of 48% is obtained.