2017 Volume 96 Issue 8 Pages 285-289
A gasification technology, that utilizes partial oxidation (using O2 and H2O as gasifying agents) and implementation of a new high calorie gasification (using only H2O as a gasifying agent) technology, has been developed and focuses on perfect gasification of various biomass feedstocks at 900-1,000 °C with less production of soot or tar. The result of this technology is the production of a superior mixture of biogases for producing liquid biofuels through a synthetic reaction with Zn/Cu-based catalyst; or the generation of electricity through a generator. The first test plant, named “Norin Green No. 1”, began operation on April 18, 2002. A second plant named “Norin Biomass No. 3” having a new high calorie gasification technology, began operation on March in 2004. In 2009, with the support of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), a large commercial plant was established in Nagasaki to utilize discarded woods for potentially capable of producing biomethanol (100 L/hr). The future of these technologies and the practical plants, production and utilization of the mixture of gases from the technologies within these plants is discussed.
