Performance Analysis of an Integrated Fixed Bed Gasifier Model for Different Biomass Feedstocks

Sharmina Begum, Mohammad G. Rasul, Delwar Akbar and Naveed Ramzan
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Sharmina Begum: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia
Mohammad G. Rasul: School of Engineering and Technology, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia
Delwar Akbar: School of Business and Law, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia
Naveed Ramzan: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan

Energies, 2013, vol. 6, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: Energy recovery from biomass by gasification technology has attracted significant interest because it satisfies a key requirement of environmental sustainability by producing near zero emissions. Though it is not a new technology, studies on its integrated process simulation and analysis are limited, in particular for municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification. This paper develops an integrated fixed bed gasifier model of biomass gasification using the Advanced System for Process ENngineering (Aspen) Plus software for its performance analysis. A computational model was developed on the basis of Gibbs free energy minimization. The model is validated with experimental data of MSW and food waste gasification available in the literature. A reasonable agreement between measured and predicted syngas composition was found. Using the validated model, the effects of operating conditions, namely air-fuel ratio and gasifier temperature, on syngas production are studied. Performance analyses have been done for four different feedstocks, namely wood, coffee bean husks, green wastes and MSWs. The ultimate and proximate analysis data for each feedstock was used for model development. It was found that operating parameters have a significant influence on syngas composition. An air-fuel ratio of 0.3 and gasifier temperature of 700 °C provides optimum performance for a fixed bed gasifier for MSWs, wood wastes, green wastes and coffee bean husks. The developed model can be useful for gasification of other biomasses (e.g., food wastes, rice husks, poultry wastes and sugarcane bagasse) to predict the syngas composition. Therefore, the study provides an integrated gasification model which can be used for different biomass feedstocks.

Keywords: gasification; fixed bed; Aspen Plus; syngas (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: 2013
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (21)

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