Syngas Production from Pyrolysis of Nine Composts Obtained from Nonhybrid and Hybrid Perennial Grasses

A pyrolysis of compost for the production of syngas with an explicit H(2)/CO = 2 or H(2)/CO = 3 was investigated in this study. The composts were obtained from nonhybrid (perennial) grasses (NHG) and hybrid (perennial) grasses (HG). Discrepancies in H(2) evolution profiles were found between NHG and HG composts. In addition, positive correlations for NHG composts were obtained between (i) H(2) yield and lignin content, (ii) H(2) yield and potassium content, and (iii) CO yield and cellulose content. All composts resulted in H(2)/CO = 2 and five of the nine composts resulted in H(2)/CO = 3. Exceptionally large higher heating values (HHVs) of pyrolysis gas, very close to HHVs of feedstock, were obtained for composts made from mountain brome (MB, 16.23 MJ/kg), hybrid Becva (FB, 16.45 MJ/kg), and tall fescue (TF, 17.43 MJ/kg). The MB and FB composts resulted in the highest syngas formation with H(2)/CO = 2, whereas TF compost resulted in the highest syngas formation with H(2)/CO = 3.