Thermodynamic Analysis of Biomass Gasification Using Aspen Plus: Comparison of Stoichiometric and Non-Stoichiometric Models

María Pilar González-Vázquez, Fernando Rubiera, Covadonga Pevida, Daniel T. Pio and Luís A.C. Tarelho
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María Pilar González-Vázquez: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Carbono, INCAR-CSIC, Francisco Pintado Fe 26, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
Fernando Rubiera: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Carbono, INCAR-CSIC, Francisco Pintado Fe 26, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
Covadonga Pevida: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología del Carbono, INCAR-CSIC, Francisco Pintado Fe 26, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
Daniel T. Pio: Department of Environment and Planning & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Luís A.C. Tarelho: Department of Environment and Planning & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Campus Universitário de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: The gasification process involves several reactions that occur simultaneously and are interrelated by several independent variables. Simulation tools can help us to understand the process behaviour and predict the efficiency and final composition of the products. In this work, two thermodynamic equilibrium models developed in Aspen Plus ® software were assessed: a non-stoichiometric model based on the feedstock composition and on the most probable compounds expected from the results of the gasification process using minimisation of Gibbs free energy and a stoichiometric model based on a set of chemical reactions considered as the most relevant to describe the gasification process. Both models were validated with experimental data from a bubbling fluidised bed semi-pilot scale gasifier using pine kernel shells (PKS) as feedstock. The influence of temperature, stoichiometric ratio (SR) and steam to biomass ratio (SBR) were analysed. Overall, predictions of the gas composition and gasification efficiency parameters by the stoichiometric model showed better agreement to the experimental results. Our results point out the significance of an accurate description of the equilibrium composition of producer gas with the stoichiometric model for the gasification of biomass.

Keywords: biomass; air–steam gasification; bubbling fluidised bed; Aspen Plus; sensitivity analysis (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: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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