Preliminary Study on the Characterization of Congolese Rice Straw and Determination of Its Syngas and Hydrogen Production Potential

John Idoti Bakyabotane, Varney Kromah, Jr.

Abstract: This study investigates the potential of Congolese rice straw as a renewable feedstock for hydrogen - rich syngas production through gasification. Proximate and ultimate analyses revealed a high volatile content and favorable elemental composition for energy generation. Gasification was conducted under both air and steam conditions using a fixed - bed downdraft reactor. Results showed hydrogen yields of 24.92% and 45.00% by volume under air and steam gasification, respectively. Steam gasification at 800?C demonstrated superior performance, producing 17.97 mmoles of hydrogen per gram of biomass. These findings underscore the viability of utilizing agricultural residues like rice straw for decentralized energy solutions in regions such as the DRC.

Keywords: rice straw gasification, hydrogen production, biomass characterization, steam gasification, syngas composition