CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

In this chapter, the kinetic behavior during the steam gasification of sawdust, plum, andolive pits was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis where theweight loss ismeasuredwith the temperature variation at different heating rates (5, 10, and 15 K/min). The weightloss and their derivative curves show that the gasification takes place in three visible stages.The kinetic study was carried out using Coats-Redfern methods. The Ginstling-Brounsteinmodel showed better fit. The obtained activation energy values vary between 70 and 100 kJ/mol for the pyrolysis stage for all studied agro-industrial wastes. On the other hand, athermodynamic model was proposed to predict the five waste gasification processes, consideringthe char and tar production. The proposed model allows it to perform a parametricstudy, analyzing the process variables? effect on the exergetic efficiency. The higher temperaturesfavor the endothermic reactions as the H2 and CO formation reactions. Therefore, inthe product, moles of H2 and CO increase and consequently the exergy efficiency of theprocess. Increasing the equivalence ratio value, H2, CO, andCH4 contents decrease; thus thecalorific value of the produced gas and the exergetic efficiency decrease. In addition, the CO2and H2O presences in the syngas composition diminish its calorific value and the exergeticefficiency. Considering the influence of supply steam/biomass ratio, the exergetic efficiencydecreases with the growth of this parameter.