Research Projects

Pine needles, dried leaves of pine trees, are a significant waste material in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand state. These needles form a thick blanket over forest floor and prevent natural forest growth, making them a major cause of fires. However, they can be collected and converted into useful products to solve these problems. The main objective of this study is to produce hydrogen-enriched syngas from waste materials like pine needles. Previous studies have focused on pyrolysis, power generation, and kinetic decomposition of pine needles. However, there is limited literature on the production of hydrogen gas from pine needles. This proposal aims to further extend this research by conducting an experimental study using a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier to maximize hydrogen concentration in syngas. The economic analysis of the process will be performed for larger capacity systems. The significance of this work lies in the potential of biomass as a clean energy carrier, as hydrogen is a key processing agent in petroleum-refining operations, hydrodesulfurization, hydrocracking, and iron and steel industries. The production of hydrogen using waste biomass can be a better substitute for hydrogen gas, which is typically produced through reforming. Additionally, the use of pine needles can avoid environmental damage and make the study important from both energy and environmental perspectives.