Hydrogen-rich syngas production via integrated configuration of pyrolysis and air gasification processes of various algal biomass: Process simulation and evaluation using Aspen Plus software

In the present study, hydrogen-rich syngas production via integrated configuration of pyrolysis and air gasification processes of different algal biomass is investigated at relevant industrial condition. A comprehensive steady state equilibrium simulation model is developed using Aspen Plus software, to investigate and evaluate the performance of pyrolysis and air gasification processes of different algal biomass (Algal waste, Chlorella vulgaris, Rhizoclonium sp and Spirogyra). The model can be used as a predictive tool for optimization of the gasifier performance. The developed process consists of three general stages including biomass drying, pyrolysis and gasification. The model validation using reported experimental results for pyrolysis of algal biomass indicated that the predicted results are in good agreement with experimental data. The effect of various operational parameters, such as gasifier temperature, gasifier pressure and air flow rate on the gas product composition and H₂/CO was investigated by sensitivity analysis of parameters. The achieved optimal operating condition to maximize the hydrogen and carbon monoxide production as the desirable products were as follows: gasifier temperature of 600 °C, gasifier pressure of 1 atm and air flow rate of 0.01 m³/h.     

Application of a detailed mathematical model to the gasifier unit of the dual fluidized bed gasification plant

A one-dimensional steady state model for biomass-steam gasification has been developed. The reactor is a bubbling fluidized bed. With respect to hydrodynamics the model distinguishes two zones namely: dense zone and freeboard zone. The gasification process is modelled in three steps: drying, devolatilization and gasification of biomass char. The model assumes that solids are well mixed while the gases are in plug flow regime. Mass and energy balance is solved globally across the entire gasifier. The gas composition and temperatures predicted by the model for wood chips as fuel agree well with values measured at an 8 MW (fuel power) commercial plant.     

Results with a bench scale downdraft biomass gasifier for agricultural and forestry residues

A small scale fixed bed downdraft gasifier system to be fed with agricultural and forestry residues has been designed and constructed. The downdraft gasifier has four consecutive reaction zones from the top to the bottom, namely drying, pyrolysis, oxidation and reduction zones. Both the biomass fuel and the gases move in the same direction. A throat has been incorporated into the design to achieve gasification with lower tar production. The experimental system consists of the downdraft gasifier and the gas cleaning unit made up by a cyclone, a scrubber and a filter box. A pilot burner is utilized for initial ignition of the biomass fuel. The product gases are combusted in the flare built up as part of the gasification system. The gasification medium is air. The air to fuel ratio is adjusted to produce a gas with acceptably high heating value and low pollutants. Within this frame, different types of biomass, namely wood chips, barks, olive pomace and hazelnut shells are to be processed. The developed downdraft gasifier appears to handle the investigated biomass sources in a technically and environmentally feasible manner. This paper summarizes selected design related issues along with the results obtained with wood chips and hazelnut shells.     

Sensitivity analysis of a biomass gasification model in fixed bed downdraft reactors: Effect of model and process parameters on reaction front

A detailed sensitivity analysis is performed on a one-dimensional fixed bed downdraft biomass gasification model. The aim of this work is to analyze how the heat transfer mechanisms and rates are affected as reaction front progresses along the bed with its main reactive stages (drying, pyrolysis, combustion and reduction) under auto-thermal conditions. To this end, a batch type fixed-bed gasifier was simulated and used to study process propagation velocity of biomass gasification. The previously proposed model was validated with experimental data as a function of particle size. The model was capable of predicting coherently the physicochemical processes of gasification allowing an agreement between experimental and calculated data with an average error of 8%. Model sensitivity to parametric changes in several model and process parameters was evaluated by analyzing their effect on heat transfer mechanisms of reaction front (solid–gas, bed–wall and radiative in the solid phase) and key response variables (temperature field, maximum solid and gas temperatures inside the bed, flame front velocity, biomass consumption and fuel/air ratio). The model coefficients analyzed were the solid–gas heat transfer, radiation absorption, bed–wall heat transfer, pyrolysis kinetic rates and reactor-environment heat transfer. On the other hand, particle size, bed void fraction, air intake temperature, gasifying agent composition and gasifier wall material were analyzed as process parameters. The solid–gas heat transfer coefficient (0.02 < correction factor < 1.0) and particle size (4 < diameter < 30 mm) were the most significant parameters affecting process behavior. They led to variations of 88% and 68% in process velocity, respectively.     

A downdraft high temperature steam-only solar gasifier of biomass char: A modelling study

A numerical model of a solar downdraft gasifier of biomass char (biochar) with steam based on the systems kinetics is developed. The model calculates the dynamic and steady state profiles, predicting the temperature and concentration profiles of gas and solid phases, based on the mass and heat balances. The Rosseland equation is used to calculate the radiative transfer within the bed. The char reactivity factor (CFR) is taken into account with an exponential variation. The bed heating dynamics as well as the steam velocity effects are tested. The model results are compared with different experimental results from a solar packed bed gasifier, and the temperature profile is compared to an experimental downdraft gasifier. Hydrogen is the principal product followed by carbon monoxide, the carbon dioxide production is small and the methane production is negligible, indicating a high quality syngas production. By applying the temperature gradient theory in the steam-only gasification process for a solar gasifier design, a solar downdraft gasifier improves the energy conversion efficiency by over 20% when compared to a solar packed bed gasifier. The model predictions are in good agreement with the experimental results found in the literature.     

Modeling the effects of the operational parameters on H2 composition in a biomass fluidized bed gasifier

In this study, effects of the operational parameters such as gasifier temperature, bed operational velocity, equivalence ratio, biomass particle size and biomass-to-steam ratio on hydrogen production from an atmospheric biomass FB gasifier is simulated by presently developed model. The model is one-dimensional, isothermal and steady state, and the fluid-dynamics are based on the two-phase theory of fluidization. Tar conversion is taken into account in the model. The model simulation results are also compared with and validated against experimental data given in the literature. As a result of this study, it is observed that H₂ composition increased remarkably with the rise of the gasifier temperature. Small biomass particles improves H₂ composition. It is unfeasible to apply too small or too large ER in biomass air-steam gasification. The increases in the mole fractions of H₂ with increases in the steam flow rate indicated that the gas shift reaction has a substantial effect in air-steam gasification.     

煤的气化反应活性对常压固定床气化的影响

简要介绍了煤的气化反应活性及其影响因素,提出了根据煤的气化反应活性界定气化用煤灰熔融性温度指标的方法,并就煤的气化反应活性对常压固定床气化炉内氧化层、还原层、干馏层、干燥层及炉出煤气温度的影响进行了系统分析。     

An experimental study on air gasification of biomass micron fuel (BMF) in a cyclone gasifier

Biomass micron fuel (BMF) produced from feedstock (energy crops, agricultural wastes, forestry residues and so on) through an efficient crushing process is a kind of powdery biomass fuel with particle size of less than 250 μm. Based on the properties of BMF, a cyclone gasifier concept has been considered in our laboratory for biomass gasification. The concept combines and integrates partial oxidation, fast pyrolysis, gasification, and tar cracking, as well as a shift reaction, with the purpose of producing a high quality of gas. In this paper, characteristics of BMF air gasification were studied in the gasifier. Without outer heat energy input, the whole process is supplied with energy produced by partial combustion of BMF in the gasifier using a hypostoichiometric amount of air. The effects of equivalence ratio (ER) and biomass particle size on gasification temperature, gas composition, gas yield, low-heating value (LHV), carbon conversion and gasification efficiency were studied. The results showed that higher ER led to higher gasification temperature and contributed to high H₂-content, but too high ER lowered fuel gas content and degraded fuel gas quality. A smaller particle was more favorable for higher gas yield, LHV, carbon conversion and gasification efficiency. And the BMF air gasification in the cyclone gasifier with the energy self-sufficiency is reliable.     

基于Ca循环的生物质加压气化制氢系统的模拟与优化

建立了基于Ca循环的生物质气化制氢模型,包括气化单元和燃烧单元.气化单元包括热解与重整2个模块,通过快速热解试验获得初始热解模块的结果,并进行了压力和温度的修正计算;通过调整二次热解时进入燃烧炉的焦炭量,使得燃烧炉能够达到煅烧碳酸钙的温度,剩余焦炭进入气化炉;重整模块以及燃烧单元采用Gibbs自由能最小化原理进行计算.通过控制气化反应平衡趋近温度得到系统加压时非平衡态工况的结果,并与气化炉试验结果进行了对比验证.考察了压力、温度、n（Ca）/n（C）和n（H2O）/n（C）对氢气体积分数与产量、碳酸化率和碳酸钙煅烧率等的影响.通过优化,得到了最优的氢气产量为106.4 g/kg,体积分数可达94.0％.     

Bench-scale bubbling fluidized bed systems around the world - Bed agglomeration and collapse: A comprehensive review

Thermochemical conversion by gasification process is one of the most relevant technologies for energy recovery from solid fuel, with an energy conversion efficiency better than other alternatives like combustion and pyrolysis. Nevertheless, the most common technology used in the last decades for thermochemical conversion of solid fuel through gasification process, such as coal, agriculture residues or biomass residues are the fluidized bed or bubbling fluidized bed system. For these gasification technologies, an inert bed material is fed into reactor to improve the homogenization of the particles mixture and increase the heat transfer between solid fuel particles and the bed material. The fluidized bed reactors usually operate at isothermal bed temperatures in the range of 700–1000 °C, providing a suitable contact between solid and gas phases. In this way, chemical reactions with high conversion yield, as well as an intense circulation and mixing of the solid particles are encouraged. Moreover, a high gasification temperature favours carbon conversion efficiency, increasing the syngas production and energy performance of the gasifier. However, the risk of eutectic mixtures formation and its subsequent melting process are increased, and hence the probability of bed agglomeration and the system collapse could be increased, mainly when alkali and alkaline earth metals-rich biomasses are considered. Generally, bed agglomeration occurs when biomass-derived ash reacts with bed material, and the lower melting temperature of ash components promotes the formation of highly viscous layers, which encourages the progressive agglomerates creation, and consequently, the bed collapse and system de-fluidization. Taking into account the relevance of this topic to ensure the normal gasification process operating, this paper provides several aspects about bed agglomeration, mostly for biomass gasification systems. In this way, chemistry and mechanism of bed agglomeration, as well as, some methods for in-situ detection and prediction of the bed agglomeration phenomenon are reviewed and discussed.     

A comprehensive mathematical model of a serial composite process for biomass and coal Co-gasification

A comprehensive mathematical model to simulate a serial composite process for biomass and coal co-gasification has been built. The process is divided into combustion stage and gasification stage in the same gasifier, it is a new process for the co-gasification of biomass and coal. The model is based on reaction kinetic, hydrodynamics, mass and energy balances, it is a one-dimensional, K-L three-phase, unsteady state model. The model is divided into two sub-models, one is the combustion sub-model, the other is the coal-biomass serial gasification sub-model. Combustion sub-model includes coal pyrolysis, dense phase combustion, and dilute phase combustion model. Gasification sub-model includes biomass pyrolysis, dense phase coal gasification, dense phase biomass gasification, and dilute phase gasification model. The model studies the effects of key parameters on gasification properties, including gasification temperature, S/B, B/C, and predicts the composition of product gas and gas calorific value along the reactor's axis at different time. The model predictions agree well with experimental results and can be used to study and optimize the operation of the process.     

More efficient biomass gasification via torrefaction

Wood torrefaction is a mild pyrolysis process that improves the fuel properties of wood. At temperatures between 230 and 300 °C, the hemicellulose fraction of the wood decomposes, so that torrefied wood and volatiles are formed. Mass and energy balances for torrefaction experiments at 250 and 300 °C are presented. Advantages of torrefaction as a pre-treatment prior to gasification are demonstrated. Three concepts are compared: air-blown gasification of wood, air-blown gasification of torrefied wood (both at a temperature of 950 °C in a circulating fluidized bed) and oxygen-blown gasification of torrefied wood (at a temperature of 1200 °C in an entrained flow gasifier), all at atmospheric pressure. The overall exergetic efficiency of air-blown gasification of torrefied wood was found to be lower than that of wood, because the volatiles produced in the torrefaction step are not utilized. For the entrained flow gasifier, the volatiles can be introduced into the hot product gas stream as a ‘chemical quench’. The overall efficiency of such a process scheme is comparable to direct gasification of wood, but more exergy is conserved in as chemical exergy in the product gas (72.6% versus 68.6%). This novel method to improve the efficiency of biomass gasification is promising; therefore, practical demonstration is recommended.     

Numerical modelling of a fixed bed updraft long stick wood gasifier

A computational model to evaluate the anticipated performance characteristics of an updraft fixed bed gasifier utilizing long stick wood as the source of fuel is presented. This type of gasifier obtains high-energy release rates due to the lower inlet air velocity and extended reaction zone. The numerical model couples the performance of the individual particles and the external gas phase reactions to describe the gasifier performance. By calculating the performance of individual particles, the computational model is able to determine the interaction between the combustion of charcoal particles in the lower portion of the bed and the pyrolysis of wood sticks in the upper region. Most importantly, the model can describe the effect on overall system performance when conditions within the gasifier are changed, such as changes in the wood or char particle size, moisture content, gasifier height, inlet velocity, etc. The results of the model are compared with the gasifier performance for a gasifier using sticks with a 6 cm diameter, a length of 68 cm and a dry density of 600 kg m⁻³. The model results are used to investigate the performance of the gasifier under a variety of load conditions, fuel sizes, and moisture conditions.     

Theoretical and experimental investigation of biomass gasification process in a fixed bed gasifier

This investigation concerns the process of air biomass gasification in a fixed bed gasifier. Theoretical equilibrium calculations and experimental investigation of the composition of syngas were carried out and compared with findings of other researchers. The influence of excess air ratio (λ) and parameters of biomass on the composition of syngas were investigated. A theoretical model is proposed, based on the equilibrium and thermodynamic balance of the gasification zone.The experimental investigation was carried out at a setup that consists of a gasifier connected by a pipe with a water boiler fired with coal (50 kWth). Syngas obtained in the gasifier is supplied into the coal firing zone of the boiler, and co-combusted with coal. The moisture content in biomass and excess air ratio of the gasification process are crucial parameters, determining the composition of syngas. Another important parameter is the kind of applied biomass. Despite similar compositions and dimensions of the two investigated feedstocks (wood pellets and oats husk pellets), compositions of syngas obtained in the case of these fuels were different. On the basis of tests it may be stated that oats husk pellets are not a suitable fuel for the purpose of gasification.     

生物质富氧气化特性的研究

富氧气化是先进的中热值气化方法之一，具有设备体积小，运行稳定等优点。从富氧气化的原理出发，分析氧气浓度，气化当量比等因素对气化结果的影响，并在实验的基础上，分析讨论提高了富氧气化经济性和实用性的途径，总结得到的循环流化床富氧气化的最佳运行条件：氧气浓度，气化当量比约０．１５。     

下吸式生物质气化炉气化性能研究

生物质固定床气化技术具有运行稳定、可提供清洁能源等优点,但也存在气化效率差,燃气热值低的问题.以采用炉膛集中供风技术和还原区热量包裹技术的下吸式气化炉为研究对象,研究护膛温度、空气当量比(ER)对燃气成分、燃气热值、气化效率等气化性能的影响,并与以往研究结果进行对比分析.实验表明,该气化炉能保证在较低ER内(0.1～0...     

生物质气化/燃烧双反应器的冷态试验研究

采用所搭建的生物质气化/燃烧双反应器冷态试验台,研究了生物质气化效果的影响因素.双反应器中气化炉内径为211 mm,高为1.7m,为移动床形式;燃烧炉内径为100mm,高为5m,为循环流化床形式.2个反应器由气动返料装置进行连接,通过炉内的灰循环实现耦合.在此试验台上进行了物料循环量的试验研究,考察了循环量与燃烧炉一次风速、下返料风速的关系,通过理论计算,得到了气化炉循环灰所携带的热量和物料在气化炉内的停留时间,为热态试验台的设计提供理论基础.     

An experimental study of propane combustion in a fluidized-bed gasifier

This paper reports an experimental study of the combustion of volatiles from coal, simulated by propane, and its interaction with char gasification reactions in a fluidized-bed coal gasifier (FBG). Experiments were performed under conditions of propane pyrolysis (in a bed fluidized by nitrogen and steam), propane reacting with oxygen and steam (in a bed fluidized by air and steam), char gasification only (in a bed fluidized by air and steam without propane) and in char gasification (in a bed fluidized by air and steam with propane). Axial concentration profiles of various species were obtained at 750, 850 and 950 °C. It was observed that the combustion of propane in an FBG, but without char, behaves as reported in the literature for fluidized-bed combustion (FBC). However, upon introducing char into the bed to simulate the reducing atmosphere in an FBG, oxygen was rapidly consumed within a short distance of the distributor, by significant partial oxidation of both propane and its decomposition products to carbon monoxide. The char was found to aid the pyrolysis of propane, limiting the amount of hydrocarbons surviving into the freeboard. The experimental results reported here are believed to be the first observations on the combustion of volatiles under conditions in an FBG.     

Experimental investigations on a 20 kWe, solid biomass gasification system

When the objective is to generate motive or electric power via I.C. engine, the overall pressure drop through the suction gasification system in addition to gas quality has become a sensitive issue. This work, therefore, presents an experimental study on a suction gasifier (downdraft) arrangement operating on kiker wood or Acacia nilotica (L). Studies were conducted to investigate the influence of fluid flow rate on pressure drop through the gasifier system for ambient isothermal airflow and ignited mode, pumping power, and air-fuel ratio, gas composition and gasification efficiency. Results of pressure drop, temperature profile, gas composition or calorific value are found to be sensitive with fluid flow rate. Ignited gasifier gives much higher pressure drop when compared against newly charged gasifier bed with isothermal ambient airflow. Higher reaction temperatures in gasifier tends to enhance gasifier performance, while, overall pressure drop and thus pumping power through the system increases. Both ash accumulated gasifier bed and sand bed filters with tar laden quartz particles also show much higher pressure drops.     

Influence of fuel feeding positions on gasification in dual fluidized bed gasifiers

An in-bed and an on-bed feeding system are implemented in a dual fluidized bed gasifier in order to investigate the influence of the fuel feeding position on the gasification process. Two bed materials, fresh and used olivine, are used because of their varying catalytic activity. The comparison of in-bed and on-bed feeding of wood pellets shows that in-bed feeding is more favorable, because lower tar concentrations are achieved and the gas composition is closer to water–gas shift equilibrium. Better mixing of bed material and fuel particles occurs with in-bed feeding. The residence time of the gas phase in the fluidized bed is longer in the case of in-bed feeding, and therefore better performance of the gasifier is achieved. Sufficient residence time of the fuel in the bubbling bed is important when a less active bed material is used. More active bed material is capable of compensating for the shorter residence time of the gas phase in contact with bed material during on-bed feeding.