Experimental and Modeling Analysis of Brewers´ Spent Grains Gasification in a Downdraft Reactor

Sérgio Ferreira, Eliseu Monteiro, Luís Calado, Valter Silva, Paulo Brito and Cândida Vilarinho
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Sérgio Ferreira: CT2M—Centre for Mechanical and Materials Technologies, Mechanical Engineering Department of Minho University, 4804-533 Guimarães, Portugal
Eliseu Monteiro: VALORIZA—Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorisation, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
Luís Calado: VALORIZA—Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorisation, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
Valter Silva: VALORIZA—Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorisation, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
Paulo Brito: VALORIZA—Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorisation, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
Cândida Vilarinho: CT2M—Centre for Mechanical and Materials Technologies, Mechanical Engineering Department of Minho University, 4804-533 Guimarães, Portugal

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: The first part of the current reported work presents experimental results of brewers’ spent grains gasification in a pilot-scale downdraft gasifier. The gasification procedure is assessed through various process characteristics such as gas yield, lower heating value, carbon conversion efficiency, and cold gas efficiency. Power production was varied from 3.0 to 5.0 kWh during the gasification experiments. The produced gas was supplied to an internal combustion engine coupled to a synchronous generator to produce electricity. Here, 1.0 kWh of electricity was obtained for about 1.3 kg of brewers’ spent grains pellets gasified, with an average electrical efficiency of 16.5%. The second part of the current reported work is dedicated to the development of a modified thermodynamic equilibrium model of the downdraft gasification to assess the potential applications of the main Portuguese biomasses through produced gas quality indices. The Portuguese biomasses selected are the main representative forest residues (pine, eucalyptus, and cork) and agricultural residues (vine prunings and olive bagasse). A conclusion can be drawn that, using air as a gasifying agent, the biomass gasification provides a produced gas with enough quality to be used for energy production in boilers or turbines.

Keywords: autothermal gasification; downdraft reactor; thermodynamics; chemical equilibrium; carbon boundary point (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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