Tue., July 28, 2026 16:20-17:50
Onsite & Online Hybrid

Engineering 109 Lecture Room, Higashi-Hiroshima Campus, Hiroshima University
　※Please note that the venue is different from the usual one.

If you are online, you need to apply.

Commentary: Yukihiko MATSUMURA
Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University

Lecture: Ruiqi LI 
M2, Graduate School of Innovation and Practice for Smart Society, Hiroshima University
“Direct Heating of Water Flow Using a Nichrome Wire”

This study evaluates direct Joule heating of water flow using a nichrome wire as a preliminary heating method for supercritical water gasification reactors. Experiments were conducted at 0.1 MPa with deionized water, mass flow rates of 0.7–2.6 g/min, and input powers of 1–10 W. The results show that temperature rise and heating rate increased with voltage, while lower mass flow rates produced stronger heating due to longer residence time and lower heat capacity flow. Thermal efficiency remained relatively stable at 0.7–0.8, and the experimental heat transfer coefficient increased with voltage, indicating potential of direct heating for reactor performance improvement.

Lecture: Naoki OGASAWARA
B4, School of Engineering, Hiroshima University
“Effect of Metal Mesh on Induction Heating of Microbatch Reactor”

In recent years, biomass has been attracting attention as a clean energy source with minimal environmental impact. However, since much of the biomass contains a lot of moisture, efficient biomass conversion is necessary. One of the methods for this is supercritical water gasification. Previous studies have shown that introducing an induction heater in supercritical water gasification can improve gasification efficiency. Other studies have also looked at how changing the length of the reactor or the distance between the reactor and the coil affects the heating rate, and found that shorter reactors and shorter distances between the reactor and coil result in higher heating rates. In this study, we investigated whether inserting a metal mesh into the reactor could achieve an even higher heating rate. In the experiments, the temperature was raised from room temperature to 500°C, and the heating rate was measured under conditions of 27.5 MPa. It is expected that adding a metal mesh will result in a higher heating rate compared to when nothing is added.

Lecture: Zheliang ZHAO
M2, Graduate School of Innovation and Practice for Smart Society, Hiroshima University
“Modelling the Induction Heating of Microbatch Reactor for Hydrothermal Reactions”

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) can convert wet biomass into clean gaseous fuel without drying, but its efficiency depends strongly on rapid and stable heating. This study evaluated induction heating as a rapid heating method for SCWG using a stainless-steel tube reactor at approximately 27.5 MPa. Filter paper and crystal sugar were used as model feedstocks. Effects of reactor length, coil diameter, and coil–reactor distance were investigated, and a heat balance model was developed. The reactor reached 550 °C within 264-326 s, with a maximum heating rate of 2.22 K/s. Induction heating showed strong potential, although pressure control requires further optimization.

Lecture: Kaoru AOYAMA
B4, School of Engineering, Hiroshima University
“Effects of Ru Loading on Supercritical Water Gasification of Glucose Using 10-Layer Stacked Ru/CNT Paper Catalysts”

Biomass is a promising renewable resource for a carbon-neutral society. Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is an attractive technology for converting wet biomass into biogass. Ru/CNT catalysts have shown high activity for glucose gasification, but the effect of Ru loading in layered catalyst structures remains unclear. In this study, ten-layer stacked Ru/CNT paper catalysts with Ru loadings of 0, 1, 2.5, and 5 wt.% were evaluated for glucose gasification. Experiments were conducted in a continuous-flow reactor at 600 °C and 25 MPa using a 5 wt.% glucose solution. Gas composition and carbon gasification efficiency were analyzed to assess catalytic performance.

Chair: Yukihiko MATSUMURA
Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University

Please post the following 5 items (1-4 are required) in the email, write "I would like to participate in the evening seminar" in the subject line, and send it to bprc@hiroshima-u.ac.jp.

１．Participation Seminar：Tue., July. 28, 2026. 129th Hiroshima University Biomass Evening Seminar
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