Partial oxidation gasification in supercriticalwater could produce fuel gases (such as H

2

COand CH

4

) and significantly reduce the energy consumption. In this work

an energetic model was developed to analyze the partial oxidative gasification of biomass (glucose and lignin) in supercritical water and the related key factors on which gasification under autothermal condition depended upon. The results indicated that the oxidant equivalent ratio (ER) should be over 0.3 as the concern about energy balance but less than 0.6 as the concern about fuel gas production. Feedstocks such as glucose and lignin also had different energy recovery efficiency. For materials which can be efficiently gasified

the partial oxidation might be a way for energy based on the combustion of fuel gases. Aromatic materials such as lignin and coal are more potential since partial oxidation could produce similar amount of fuel gases as direct gasification and offer additional energy. Energy recovered pays a key role to achieve an autothermal process. Keeping heat exchanger efficiency above 80% and heat transfer coefficient below 15 kJ·s

-1

is necessary to maintain the autothermal status. The results also indicated that the biomass loading should be abov

e 15% but under 20% for an autothermal gasification

since the increase of biomass loading could improve the energy supplied but decrease the efficiency of gasification and gaseous yields. In general

some specific conditions exist among different materials.