The effect of temperature on various parameters in coal, biomass and CO-gasification: A review Leila Emami Taba, Muhammad Faisal Irfan n,1 , Wan Ashri Mohd Wan Daud, Mohammed Harun Chakrabarti Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia article info Article history: Received 19 May 2011 Received in revised form 5 June 2012 Accepted 8 June 2012 Available online 4 August 2012 Keywords: Coal, biomass CO-gasification Temperature Gas yield Carbon conversion abstract Numerous reviews have been found related to individual studies on coal gasification (CG) and biomass gasification (BG). However, this review deals mainly with the CO-gasification (COG) of numerous types of coal and biomass and then compares their results with those obtained using coal and biomass gasification in detail. There are several process parameters which have a direct effect on the gasification process and among them temperature is the most significant one. In this paper, the production of H 2 , CO 2 , CO, CH 4 , and other hydrocarbons in CG, BG and COG with the variation of temperature is reviewed in detail. As it mainly influences the gaseous products and their characteristic behaviour, this review takes into account the effect of temperature on various other parameters such as carbon conversion, gas yield, calorific value, cold gas efficiency as well as tar and char contents in various kinds of coals, biomasses and their mixtures under catalytic or non-catalytic conditions. & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5085 2. Gasification mechanism............................................................................................ 5085 3. Effect of temperature .............................................................................................. 5086 3.1. Gaseous composition ........................................................................................ 5086 3.1.1. H 2 concentration (%) ................................................................................. 5086 3.1.2. CO 2 concentration (%) ................................................................................ 5090 3.1.3. CO concentration (%) ................................................................................. 5091 3.1.4. CH 4 and other hydrocarbons concentration (%) ............................................................ 5091 3.2. Carbon conversion .......................................................................................... 5092 3.3. Gas yield.................................................................................................. 5092 3.4. Calorific value.............................................................................................. 5093 3.5. Cold gas efficiency .......................................................................................... 5093 3.6. Tar contents and char yield ................................................................................... 5094 4. Conclusions and recommendations ................................................................................... 5094 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................ 5094 References ...................................................................................................... 5094 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/rser Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 1364-0321/$ - see front matter & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.06.015 Abbreviations: AS, almond shells; BG, biomass gasification; CG, coal gasification; CH, chestnut tree residue; COG, CO-gasification; CCG, catalytic coal gasification; CBG, catalytic biomass gasification; CCOG, catalytic CO-gasification; DT, high volatile bituminous coal from China; EB, eucalyptus; EFB, empty fruit brunches; ER, equivalent ratio; FR, feed rate; HV, Semi anthracite coal from Spain; HHV, high heating value (MJ/m3); LHV, low heating value (MJ/m3); NCCG, non-catalytic coal gasification; NCBG, non-catalytic biomass gasification; NCCOG, non-catalytic CO-gasification; NCV, net calorific value (MJ/m3); OS, olive stone; PAH, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; PC, pet coke; PE, poly ethylene; PET, poly ethylene terephthalate; PT, high volatile bituminous coal from Spain; RDF, refused derived fuel; SA, medium volatile bituminous coal from South Africa; VOC, volatile organic compounds n Corresponding author. Tel.: þ603 7967 5206; fax: þ603 7967 5319. E-mail address: muhammadfipk@gmail.com (M.F. Irfan). 1 Present address: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, T6G 2V4, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012) 5584–5596