Development of staged fluidized-bed gasification systems in Japan: Advances and prospects--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

a Energy Conversion Engineering Laboratory, Graduate School of Science and Technology/Institute of Regional Innovation, Hirosaki University, 3-Bunkyocho, Hirosaki, 036-8561, Japan
b School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Liaoning Petrochemical University, Fushun, 113001, China
c Key Laboratory of Resources Chemicals and Materials (Shenyang University of Chemical Technology), Ministry of Education, Shenyang, 110142, China

10.1016/j.partic.2025.10.019

Volume 107, Received 13 September 2025, Revised 23 October 2025, Accepted 24 October 2025, Available online 1 November 2025, Version of Record 11 November 2025., Pages 327-338

December 2025

E-mail: guan@hirosaki-u.ac.jp

Highlights

• Staged gasifiers achieve efficient reaction decoupling through sequential pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion.

• Research progress in Japan on staged gasification systems is comprehensively reviewed.

• Hydrodynamic and mixing studies verify stable solid circulation although scaling up remains challenging.

• Decentralized biomass gasifiers enable regional combined CHP generation and support carbon neutrality goals.

• Japan pioneered triple-bed gasifiers to suppress tar and improve syngas quality.

Abstract

With the increasing imperative for carbon neutrality, gasification of carbon-based resources such as low-rank coal and/or biomass using fluidized-bed reactors has emerged as a pivotal process for generating clean syngas and hydrogen. However, conventional single-fluidized-bed reactors are limited by serious tar formation and low efficiency, which has motivated the development of staged systems that physically separate pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion. Japan has played a pioneering role in advancing dual fluidized bed (DFB) and triple-bed circulating fluidized bed (TBCFB) technologies, emphasizing reaction decoupling, thermal management, and process intensification. Unlike developments in other regions, Japanese research is characterized by the systematic integration of fundamental hydrodynamic studies, pilot-scale validation, and engineering innovations tailored to the nation's energy context. This review summarizes the theoretical foundations, hydrodynamic studies, pilot-scale demonstrations, and recent engineering innovations, including CO₂-assisted gasification, and new cyclone pyrolyzers, developed in Japan. Despite the challenges associated with scale-up and system complexity, staged gasification has been demonstrated to offer distinct advantages in terms of syngas quality, tar suppression, and feedstock adaptability. The future of this field lies in decentralized, small-scale distributed systems integrated with the combined heat and power, in alignment with Japan's carbon neutrality roadmap and providing global insights into sustainable low-rank coal and biomass utilizations.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Staged-gasification; Two-stage gasification; Dual bed gasifier; Triple bed gasifier; Syngas production; Hydrogen production

文章导读