Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Simulation of biomass gasification in a dual fluidized bed gasifier

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Biomass gasification with steam in a dual-fluidized bed gasifier (DFBG) was simulated with ASPEN Plus. From the model, the yield and composition of the syngas and the contents of tar and char can be calculated. The model has been evaluated against the experimental results measured on a 150 KWth Mid Sweden University (MIUN) DFBG. The model predicts that the content of char transferred from the gasifier to the combustor decreases from 22.5 wt.% of the dry and ash-free biomass at gasification temperature 750°C to 11.5 wt.% at 950°C, but is insensitive to the mass ratio of steam to biomass (S/B). The H2 concentration is higher than that of CO under the normal DFBG operation conditions, but they will change positions when the gasification temperature is too high above about 950°C, or the S/B ratio is too low under about 0.15. The biomass moisture content is a key parameter for a DFBG to be operated and maintained at a high gasification temperature. The model suggests that the gasification temperature is difficult to be kept above 850°C when the biomass moisture content is higher than 15.0 wt.%. Thus, a certain amount of biomass needs to be added in the combustor to provide sufficient heat for biomass devolatilization and steam reforming. Tar content in the syngas can also be predicted from the model, which shows a decreasing trend of the tar with the gasification temperature and the S/B ratio. The tar content in the syngas decreases significantly with gasification residence time which is a key parameter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

daf:

Dry and ash free

LHV:

Lower-heating value, MJ/Nm3

a–g, k, m, n, x, y :

Constants

R :

The gas constant

Qcg:

Heat carried by bed material, KW

S/B:

The mass ratio of steam to biomass

M :

Mass flow, kg/s

P :

Pressure, atm

T :

Temperature, °C

τ:

Gasification residence time, s

∊:

Bed porosity

Km:

The maximum value of the mass transfer coefficient, m/s

\( fv_{\text{char}}^c,\;fv_{\text{char}}^i \) :

(Current and initial) char flow, kg/s

dp:

Biomass/char particle diameter, m

[6 × (1 − ∊)]/\( d_p^c \) :

Particle density number, 1/m

Mi, Mc:

Moisture content, wt. %

C:

Concentration, mol/m3

\( C_{\text{ash}}^{\text{wp}} \) :

Ash content, wt. %

\( C_{\text{char}}^w,\;C_{\text{tar}}^w \) :

Concentration, kg/kg biomassdaf

\( {r_{\text{char}}},\;{r_{\text{tar}}} \) :

Reaction rate, mol·m−3·s−1

References

  1. Zhang W (2010) Automotive fuels from biomass via gasification. Fuel Process Technol 91(8):866–876. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2009.07.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Fletcher TH. http://www.et.byu.edu/~tom/

  3. Sotudeh-Gharebaagh R, Legros R, Chaouki J, Paris J (1998) Simulation of circulating fluidized bed reactors using ASPEN PLUS. Fuel 77(4):327–337. doi:10.1016/s0016-2361(97)00211-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Lee JM, Kim YJ, Lee WJ, Kim SD (1998) Coal–gasification kinetics derived from pyrolysis in a fluidized-bed reactor. Energy 23(6):475–488. doi:10.1016/s0360-5442(98)00011-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Nikoo MB, Mahinpey N (2008) Simulation of biomass gasification in fluidized bed reactor using ASPEN PLUS. Biomass Bioenerg 32(12):1245–1254. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2008.02.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Doherty W, Reynolds A, Kennedy D (2009) The effect of air preheating in a biomass CFB gasifier using ASPEN Plus simulation. Biomass Bioenerg 33(9):1158–1167. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2009.05.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Corella J, Sanz A (2005) Modeling circulating fluidized bed biomass gasifiers. A pseudo-rigorous model for stationary state. Fuel Process Technol 86(9):1021–1053. doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2004.11.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Göransson K, Söderlind U, Zhang W (2011) Experimental test on a novel dual fluidised bed biomass gasifier for synthetic fuel production. Fuel 90(4):1340–1349. doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2010.12.035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Göransson K, Söderlind U, He J, Zhang W (2011) Review of syngas production via biomass DFBGs. Renew Sust Energ Rev 15(1):482–492. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2010.09.032

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Fercher E, Hofbauer H, Fleck T, Rauch R, Veronik G (1998) Two years experience with the FICFB--gasification process. 10th European Conference and Technology Exhibition on Biomass for Energy and Industry:280–283

  11. Hofbauer H, Veronik G, Fleck T, Rauch R, Mackinger H, Fercher E (1997) The FICFB gasification process. Dev thermochem biomass convers 2:1016–1025

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pfeifer C, Rauch R, Hofbauer H (2004) In-bed catalytic tar reduction in a dual fluidized bed biomass steam gasifier. Ind Eng Chem Res 43(7):1634–1640. doi:10.1021/ie030742b

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Heyne S (2010) Process integration opportunities for synthetic natural gas (SNG) production by thermal gasification of biomass. Dissertation, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg

    Google Scholar 

  14. Seemann M, Thunman H (2009) The new Chalmers research-gasifier. In: Yue G, Zhang H, Zhao C, Luo Z (eds) Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Fluidized Bed Combustion, Xi'an. Tsinghua University Press, pp 659–663

  15. Brown JW (2006) Biomass gasification: fast internal circulating fluidised bed gasifier characterisation and comparison. Dissertation, University of Canterbury, Canterbury

    Google Scholar 

  16. Foscolo, PU (2007) Biomass: a sustainable energy source. Paper presented at the ICTP Experts Meeting on “Science and Renewable Energy”, Trieste, January 15–18, 2007

  17. van der Meijden CM, Bergman PCA, van der Drift A, Vreugdenhil BJ (2010) Preparations for a 10 MWth Bio-CHP Demonstration Based on the Milena Gasification Technology. Paper presented at the 18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Lyon, May 3–7, 2010

  18. Tar removal from low-temperature gasifiers (2010) ECN Petten. http://www.ecn.nl/docs/library/report/2010/e10008.pdf. Accessed April 2010

  19. Paisley MA, Corley RN, Dayton DC (2007) Advanced biomass gasification for the economical production of biopower, fuels, and hydrogen—implementation in Montgomery, New York. Paper presented at the 15th Biomass Conference and Exhibition, Berlin, May 7–11, 2007

  20. Affordable, low-carbon diesel fuel from domestic coal and biomass (2009) US Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory. http://www.netl.doe.gov/energy-analyses/pubs/CBTL%20Final%20Report.pdf. Accessed 14 Jan 2009

  21. Dowaki K (2011) Energy Paths due to Blue Tower Process. In: Bernardes MAdS (ed) Biofuel’s engineering process technology. InTech, Rijeka, pp 585–610

    Google Scholar 

  22. Fagbemi L, Khezami L, Capart R (2001) Pyrolysis products from different biomasses: application to the thermal cracking of tar. Appl Energ 69(4):293–306. doi:10.1016/s0306-2619(01)00013-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Primary measures to reduce tar formation in fluidised-bed biomass gasifiers (2004) ECN, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands. http://www.ecn.nl/docs/library/report/2004/c04014.pdf. Accessed March 2004

  24. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) (2007) Economic and technical assessment of wood biomass fuel gasification for industrial gas production. http://www.inl.gov/technicalpublications/Documents/3787330.pdf. Accessed September 2007

  25. Bergman PCA, van Paasen SVB, Boerrigter H (2003) The novel “OLGA” technology for complete tar removal from biomass producer gas. Paper presented at the Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste, Expert Meeting, Strasbourg, 30 September–1 October 2002

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author would like to acknowledge the project support of EU regional structure fund, Ångpanneföreningen Foundation for Research and Development, LKAB, Västernorrland Länsstyrelsen, FOKUSERA, Härnösand Kommun, Toyato, SCA BioNorr and SUNTIB.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Härnösand, SE-87188, Sweden

    Jie He, Kristina Göransson & Ulf Söderlind

  2. Department of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, SE-85170, Sweden

    Wennan Zhang

Authors
  1. Jie He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kristina Göransson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ulf Söderlind
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wennan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wennan Zhang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

He, J., Göransson, K., Söderlind, U. et al. Simulation of biomass gasification in a dual fluidized bed gasifier. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 2, 1–10 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-011-0030-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-011-0030-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation