Equilibrium model of the gasification process of agro-industrial wastes for energy production

M.ECHEGARAY; M. CASTRO; R. RODRIGUEZ

International Journal of Engineering Science and Innovative Technology

International Journal of Engineering Science and Innovative Technology

Año: 2014 vol. 3 p. 6 - 17

2319-5967

Biomass is considered as one of the most promising and viable alternatives as sources of energy. Gasification is a technology of energy conversion with great future. Waste gasification is a process attractive to produce gas rich in H2. In terms of existing technologies of gasification, fluidized bed is an interesting alternative. Thermodynamic analysis of gasification with air and mixed air-steam was performed over peach pit, grape marc and grape stalks to determine the optimum values of moisture content, equivalence ratio (ER), operating temperature and steam to biomass ratio (SBR) that can maximize the yield of H2, CO. The optimal gasification temperature for this type of biomass is between 650 and 750°C. The H2 content in the syngas, show a maximum value for a moisture content of 30%, approximately. The H2 content in the syngas decreases with the increase of ER. The combined air-steam gasification provided significant higher hydrogen production than the air gasification, being 2.5 the optimal value for SBR (operating temperature 800°C, ER 0.1, moisture content 10%, steam temperature 400°C).