Study on the characteristics of biochar pyrolysis synthesis gas using Mushroom Waste Medium

Abstract

Recently, as the emphasis is on reducing fossil fuel use and switching to sustainable energy sources, research is being conducted to utilize biomass as energy. Biomass can be utilized as a sustainable energy source because it has a low possibility of depletion and can be continuously produced. Agricultural byproducts are classified as unused biomass as residues left after agricultural activities and are mainly processed as feed or fertilizer, but there are frequent cases of illegal incineration or abandonment on farmland, so new measures are needed. Mushroom Waste Medium, one of the agricultural byproducts, accounts for the second highest proportion of agricultural byproducts generated in Korea, and an amount equivalent to five times the mushroom production is generated as Mushroom Waste Medium. Since the moisture content of mushroom waste medium is high (over 60%), it is difficult to utilize it as an energy source, so it must go through a pretreatment process. The thermochemical treatment process has the advantage of reducing the moisture and hygroscopicity of biomass and increasing the calorific value. In this study, biochar was produced through various carbonization processes using mushroom waste medium, and the produced biochar was pyrolyzed to produce synthetic gas. The composition of the synthetic gas was identified and compared. This process has the advantage of producing high-quality synthetic gas through reduction of tar and improvement of gas yield.