Gasification is an efficient method for extracting energy from different sources of organic materials, and also considered as a clean waste disposal technique.

Gasification is a process that converts carbon materials, such as coal, petroleum or biomass, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen (synthesis gas). This is done by reacting the raw material at high temperatures with sometimes oxygen or steam. The synthesis gas is often used as intermediate raw material or as a fuel, depending on its purity.

Gasification is an efficient method for extracting energy from different sources of organic materials, and also considered as a clean waste disposal technique. The advantage of gasification is that using synthesis gas is much more efficient than direct combustion of the original raw material.

In general, gasification of biomass generally consists of 3 major processes: pyrolysis, combustion and gasification.

Pyrolysis is the chemical decomposition of carbonaceous material through the release of volatile compounds and production of char at elevated temperatures. Pyrolysis produces combustible components such as CO, H 2 , CH4, and a variety of condensable organic compounds referred to collectively as tar. Several non-combustible gases are also released, primarily N2 , CO2 , and water vapor.

The overall process of pyrolysis is endothermic, a source of high temperature heat is required to drive the reactions. This heat is generally provided by the second process of gasification: combustion, where the volatile compounds are burned in provision of energy.

Gasification process occurs as the char reacts with steam to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the reaction.

Biomass refers to any living or dead biological material that can be used as fuel or production. Second generation biomass (non-food based products) like wood waste and industrial sludge is slowly gaining popularity as use of first generation biomass have been questioned over issues of increased price of food and the relatively low energy density of crops.

Currently, such second generation waste biomass are normally incinerated or landfilled. Both have been heavily criticized: in landfilling, escape of methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, incineration produces many toxic byproducts which needs to be further processed. Gasification would be an important future waste management technology.