CATALYZED HYDROGASIFICATION OF YALLOURN CHAR IN THE PRESENCE OF SUPPORTED HYDROGENATION NICKEL-CATALYST

The hydrogasification of Yallourn char and its catalysis by iron group metals were studied at the hydrogen pressure of 100 kPa. Iron group metals iron, cobalt, and nickel showed catalytic activity at loading levels as low as 0.1 wt %. The rate of hydrogasification increased on mixing a supported hydrogenation nickel catalyst with the catalyst-loaded char. This appeared to be due to the hydrogen atoms split-over from the supported nickel catalyst to catalytic species on char.