Valorizing spent mushroom substrate into syngas by the thermo-chemical process

Abstract

This study investigated the conversion of agricultural biomass waste (specifically, spent mushroom substrate) into syngas via pyrolysis. Carbon dioxide was used to provide a green/sustainable feature in the pyrolysis process. All the experimental data highlight the mechanistic role of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the process, demonstrated by the enhanced carbon monoxide (CO) yield from pyrolysis under CO₂. Carbon dioxide was indeed reactive at ≥ 500 ˚C. Carbon dioxide was reduced and subsequently oxidized volatiles stemming from the thermolysis of spent mushroom substrate via the gas-phase reaction, thereby resulting in the enhanced formation of CO. Carbon dioxide radically diverted the carbon distribution patterns of the pyrogenic products, as more carbon in the oil was allocated to syngas by the gas-phase reaction of volatiles and CO₂. To enhance the mechanistic role of CO₂, a Ni-based catalyst was added to the pyrolysis process, which greatly accelerated the gas-phase reaction of volatiles and CO₂.

Keywords: Biomass valorization; CO(2) utilization; Circular economy; Pyrolysis; Waste-to-energy.