Title:
Biomass Gasification in Downdraft Dual Stage Reactor by Experimental Analysis and Simulation with CFD Tools
Author(s):
Yepes Maya, D.M., Silva Lora, E.E., Vieira Andrade, R., Ratner, A., Espinosa Sarmiento, A.L., de Mello e Pinto, L.R., Mendes Neto, L.J.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
This work discusses the behavior of a two-stage downdraft gasifier fed with biomass wastes and mixtures of fluidization fluids. Initially it was studied the pertinent physical and chemical characteristics of wastes - or biomass-derived fuels. The experiments were then performed on a two-stage downdraft gasifier installed at the Center of Excellence in Thermoelectric and Distributed Generation - NEST of the Federal University of Itajubá, MG, Brazil. The gasification products resulting from feeds of pure air, air and steam, and steam and oxygen, respectively were analyzed. After the reactorit was installed a model comprising a porous media, and a set the boundary condition, as well as settings the various parameters that represent the gasification phenomenon in a double stage downdraft system. These processes were simulated using ANSYS-ICEM®, ANSYS-FLUENT® and ANSYS CFD-POST® to generate geometry and mesh, numerical solution of the process and post processing results respectively. The cases studied were validated with experimental data for the best operating conditions, considering an equivalence ratio ER = 0.35, as one in which the synthesis gas has the highest lower calorific value. The simulations were in agreement with the experimental results, suggesting that the simulation approach is sufficiently accurate to model fixed-bed gasifiers using different solid fuels and different gasification fluids. The model predicts the selectivity of the gasification products and intra-bed temperature, pressure, and velocity profiles, saving much experimental expenses and efforts.
Keywords:
downdraft gasifier, gasification, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), waste to energy, derived from waste fuel
Topic:
Biomass Conversion Technologies for Heating, Cooling and Electricity
Subtopic:
Gasification for synthesis gas production
Event:
25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
2CV.3.33
Pages:
808 - 816
ISBN:
978-88-89407-17-2
Paper DOI:
10.5071/25thEUBCE2017-2CV.3.33
Price:
FREE
