Hydrogen-rich syngas production via supercritical water gasification: comparative modelling using Aspen Plus/Simulink softwares

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is a promising technology for hydrogen-rich syngas production from biomass. This study presents a comparative thermodynamic modelling of SCWG performance using Aspen Plus and MATLAB/Simulink, applied to four feedstocks (grape pomace, olive pomace, eucalyptus globulus, and pine bark), with integrated CO 2 capture and steam turbine for power production. Operating conditions spanned temperatures of 400°C-800°C, pressures of 22.1 MPa–35 MPa, and biomass concentrations of 5%–40%. Temperature was the most dominant parameter, with hydrogen molar fractions reaching 69.51% at 800°C. Pressure had a negligible effect, and high biomass concentrations inhibited hydrogen production. Model comparison showed good consensus with root mean square error (RMSE) values below 1.3%. Olive pomace had the highest hydrogen yield of feedstocks. Overall, the results demonstrate the possibility of gasification in supercritical water and the effectiveness of a combined steady-state and dynamic modelling approach.