Review of Gasification of Organic Compounds in Continuous-Flow, Supercritical Water Reactors

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is an emerging technology with applications in renewable energy and waste processing. Environmentally benign, SCWG relies on supercritical water to decompose organic molecules. Decomposition of alcohols, aromatic compounds, carbohydrates, and amino acids was studied. Significant discrepancies in decomposition rates between batch and continuous-flow reactors exist; this review considers studies conducted with continuous-flow reactors. Intermediate and final products were identified for most decomposition reactions with good agreement between studies. Arrhenius decomposition parameters were tabulated for the data found in the literature. Due to experimental complexities and reactor limitations, most studies address a narrow range of conditions and one to few reagents. A comprehensive data set for a variety of compounds and operating conditions using a fixed reactor design has not been collected. Experimental variability results in inconsistencies in reported kinetic rates. Standardization of rate data should be considered for future studies.