Co-gasification of microalgae biomass and low-rank coal to produce syngas/hydrogen

A process for producing a syngas, the process comprising:

• co-gasifying a feedstock comprising low rank coal and a microalgae biomass, in a biomass:coal ratio in a range of from 0.85 to 0.95, at 1 bar and a temperature in a range of from 700 to 850° C. with a gasification agent comprising at least 90 vol. % oxygen, no more than 5 vol. % nitrogen, steam, and CO2, based on total gasification agent volume, to produce a gasified intermediate;
• reforming the gasified intermediate to produce a syngas mixture;
• and
• removing carbon dioxide from the syngas mixture to thereby producing the syngas,
• wherein the syngas comprises hydrogen in a range of from 30 to 35 vol. %, carbon monoxide in a range of from 60 to 65 vol. %, and no more than 1 vol. % carbon dioxide,
• wherein an O2 equivalence ratio in the feedstock is in a range of from 0.36 to 0.4, and
• wherein the biomass:coal ratio, pressure, steam:carbon ratio, CO2:fixed carbon ratio, and O2, equivalence ratio provide a cold gas efficiency in a range of from 0.3 to 0.5.