Thermodynamic methodology to support the selection of feedstocks for decentralised downdraft gasification power plants |
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| Authors: | Juan F. Pérez Andrés Melgar Alfonso Horrillo |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Grupo de manejo eficiente de la energía (Gimel), Departamento de ingeniería mecánica, Facultad de ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Medellín, Colombia;2. Thermal Engines and Renewable Energies Group, School of Engineering, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain;3. CIDAUT Foundation for Research and Development in Transport and Energy, Boecillo, Spain |
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| Abstract: | Thermodynamic criteria as a feedstock selection tool for decentralised downdraft gasifiers coupled to spark-ignition engines are presented in this work. The methodology consists of an energy and exergy analysis of gasification process. The analysis is carried out by computational modelling of the gasification process as a function of biomass type (ultimate analysis, moisture content and heating value) and fuel/air ratio. Considering a system operating with different wood species, analysed parameters are gas heating value, energy and exergy efficiencies and engine fuel quality (EFQ). With a fixed fuel/air ratio (2.6) and moisture content (20%wt), it is highlighted that as the carbon-oxygen molar ratio of wood decreases from 2.0 to 1.78 as model input, reaction temperature increases by 9%, energy and exergy efficiencies diminish by 1.8% and 4.2%, respectively, while EFQ increases by 3.2%. Therefore, for decentralised power plants, biomass should be selected to produce higher EFQ. |
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| Keywords: | Energy exergy engine fuel quality feedstock selection methodology downdraft gasification biopower plant |
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