Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Optical measurement of tars in a fluidized bed gasifier: influence of fuel type and gasification parameters on their formation

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

Abstract

Gasification is considered to be one of the most promising ways to use biomass for producing liquid fuels, chemicals, synthetic natural gas, or hydrogen. One of the most important problems during the gasification process is the amount of condensable hydrocarbons (tars) which are produced within the process and create problems in the downstream use of the producer gas for energy and liquid fuel/chemical production. Except for the conventional measurement techniques for the determination of the tar content in the producer gas, innovative optical techniques can also be successfully used. In an effort to improve the already existing tar measurement methods, this scientific work deals with an online and nonintrusive quantitative and qualitative measurement technique for the analysis of tar compounds, which allows the investigation of the influence of different operating conditions on the tar content in the producer gas from a fluidized bed gasifier. The impact of the operating conditions (temperature, pressure, steam-to-biomass ratio) of the gasification reactor as well as of the type of biomass feedstock used on the quality of the producer gas and especially on the tar content is examined and analyzed.

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
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Feng W, Ji P, Chen B, Zheng D (2011) Analysis of methanol production from biomass gasification. Chem Eng Technol 34:307–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Chang J, Fu Y, Luo Z (2012) Experimental study for dimethyl ether production from biomass gasification and simulation on dimethyl ether production. Biomass Bioenergy 39:67–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Neeft JPA, van Paasen SVB, Knoef HAM, Buffinga GJ, Zielke U, Sjöström K, Brage C, Hasler P, Simell PA, Suomalainen M, Dorrington MA, Thomas L (2002) Tar guideline—a standard method for measurement of tars and particles in biomass producer gases. In: Proceedings of the 12th European conference and technology exhibition on biomass for energy, industry and climate protection, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp 469–572

  4. Coda B, Zielke U, Suomalainen M, Knoef HAM, Good J, Liliedahl T, Unger C, Ventress L, Neeft JPA, van de Hoek H, Kiel J (2004) Tar measurement standard: a joint effort for the standardisation of a method for measurement of tars and particulates in biomass producer gas. In: Proceedings of the 2nd world biomass conference—biomass for energy, industry and climate protection, Rome, Italy, pp 793–796

  5. Hasler P, Nussbaumer T (2000) Sampling and analysis of particles and tars from biomass gasifiers. Biomass Bioenergy 18:61–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Milne TA, Evans RJ, Abatzoglou N (1998) Biomass gasifier tars: their nature, formation and conversion. NREL/TP-570-25357

  7. van Paasen SVB, Kiel JHA (2004) Tar formation in a fluidized-bed gasifier, impact of fuel properties and operating conditions, ECN report ECN-C-04-013, Petten, The Netherlands

  8. DIN (2006) Biomass gasification–tar and particles in product gases–sampling and analysis. German Version DIN CEN/TS 15439:2006 D, DIN Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. Berlin

  9. van Paasen SVB, Kiel JHA, Neeft JPA, Knoef HAM, Buffinga GJ, Zielke U, Sjöström K, Brage C, Hasler P, Simell PA, Suomalainen M, Dorrington MA, Thomas L (2002) Guideline for sampling and analysis of tar and particles in biomass producer gases. Final report documenting the guideline, R&D work and dissemination, Report ECN-C-02-090, ECN, Petten, the Netherlands

  10. Braage C, Yu Q, Chen G, Sjöström K (1997) Use of amino phase adsorbent for biomass tar sampling and separation. Fuel 76:137–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Masson E, Ravel S, Thiery S, Dufour A (2011) Tar analysis by solid phase adsorption (SPA) associated with thermal desorption (TD) and gas chromatography (GC) analysis. In: Presentation in tar analysis workshop at the 19th European biomass conference and exhibition, ICC Berlin

  12. Moersch O, Spliethoff H, Hein KRG (2000) Tar quantification with a new online analyzing method. Biomass Bioenergy 18:79–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Evans RJ, Milne TA (1987) Molecular characterization of the pyrolysis of biomass, 2. Applications. Energy Fuels 1:311–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Carpenter DL, Deutch SP, French RJ (2007) Quantitative measurements of biomass gasifier tars using a molecular-beam mass spectrometer: comparison with traditional impinger sampling. Energy Fuels 21:3036–3043

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Neubauer Y, Behrendt F (2007) Application of laser mass spectrometry for a fast and detailed online tar analysis. In: Proceedings of the 15th European biomass conference and exhibition, Berlin, Germany, pp 850–854

  16. Knoef HAM, van de Beld L, Ahmadi M, Sjöström K, Brage C, Liliedahl T (2009) Development of an online tar measuring method for quantitative analysis of biomass producer gas. In: Proceedings of the 17th European biomass conference and exhibition, Hamburg, Germany, pp 884–888

  17. Ahmadi M, Brage C, Sjöström K, Engvall K, Knoef H, Van De Beld B (2011) Development of an on-line tar measurement method based on photo ionization technique. Catal Today 176:250–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Streibel T (2011) Mass spectrometry applying soft photo-ionisation for real time characterisation of transients from flash pyrolysis of biomass. In: Presentation in tar analysis workshop at the 19th European biomass conference and exhibition, ICC Berlin

  19. Mitsakis P, Karellas S, Spliethoff H (2008) Application of laser spectroscopy for the quantitative analysis of biomass gasification tars. In: Proceedings of the 16th European biomass conference and exhibition, Valencia, Spain, pp 652–658

  20. Roveda D, Kienberger T, Grigiante M, Karl J (2012) A tar online measurement system based on the absorption principle. In: Proceedings of the 20th European biomass conference and exhibition, Milan, Italy, pp 898–905

  21. Patuzzi F, Roveda D, Mimmo T, Karl J, Baratieri M (2012) Characterization of the tar produced during pyrolysis of common reed: a comparative study between on-line and off-line measuring method approaches. In: Proceedings of the 20th European biomass conference and exhibition, Milan, Italy, pp 997–1004

  22. Mitsakis P, Mayerhofer M, Spliethoff H (2009) Qualitative and quantitative analysis of biomass gasification tars by means of laser spectroscopy. In: Proceedings of the 17th European biomass conference and exhibition. From research to industry and markets, Hamburg, Germany, pp 639–645

  23. Sun R, Zobel N, Neubauer Y, Cardenas Chavez C, Behrendt F (2010) Analysis of gas-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures by laser-induced fluorescence. Opt Lasers Eng 48:1231–1237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Neubauer Y, Sun R, Zobel N, Behrendt F (2010) Online-monitoring of tar with a compact tar-analysis device based on photon induced fluorescence. In: Proceedings of the 18th European biomass conference and exhibition, Lyon, France, pp 605–607

  25. Baumhakl C, Karellas S (2011) Tar analysis from biomass gasification by means of online fluorescence spectroscopy. Opt Lasers Eng 49:885–891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Sun R (2011) Analysis of gas phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures by laser induced fluorescence. PhD Thesis, TU Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  27. Mayerhofer M, Mitsakis P, Meng X, de Jong W, Spliethoff H, Gaderer M (2012) Influence of pressure, temperature and steam on tar and gas in allothermal fluidized bed gasification. Fuel 99:204–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lakowicz JR (1999) Principles of fluorescence spectroscopy, 2nd edn. Kluwer Academic/Plenum, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  29. Niessner R, Robers W, Krupp A (1991) Detection of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by laser-induced time-resolved fluorescence. Fresenius’ J Anal Chem 341:207–213

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Karlitschek P, Lewitzka F, Bnting U, Niederkrger M, Marowsky G (1998) Detection of aromatic pollutants in the environment by using UV-laser-induced fluorescence. Appl Phys, B Lasers Opt 67:497–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Selli E, Zaccaria C, Sena F, Tomasi G, Bidoglio G (2004) Application of multiway models to the time-resolved fluorescence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons mixtures in water. Water Res 38:2269–2276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Giamarchi P, Stephan L, Salomon S, Bihan A (2000) Multicomponent determination of a polyaromatic hydrocarbon mixture by direct fluorescence measurements. J Fluoresc 100:393–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Allain L, Stratis D, Cullum B, Mobley J, Hajaligol M, Vo-Dihn T (2003) Realtime detection of PAH mixtures in the vapor phase at high temperatures. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 66:145–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Mitsakis P (2011) Online analysis of the tar content of biomass gasification producer gas. Dissertation, Technische Universität München, Germany

  35. Meng X, Mitsakis P, Mayerhofer M, de Jong W, Gaderer M, Verkooijen AH, Spliethoff H (2012) Tar formation in a steam-O2 blown CFB gasifier and a steam blown PBFB gasifier (BabyHPR): comparison between different on-line measurement techniques and the off-line SPA sampling and analysis method. Fuel Process Technol 100:16–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of European Commission within the 7th Framework Programme (FP7 project GreenSyngas). The support of the company Lantmännen (Sweden) for providing biomass feedstock is also gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Energy Systems, Technische Universität München, Boltzmannstrasse 15, 85748, Garching, Germany

    Panagiotis Mitsakis, Matthias Mayerhofer, Hartmut Spliethoff & Matthias Gaderer

  2. Process and Energy Laboratory, Delft University of Technology, Leeghwaterstraat 44, 2628, CA, Delft, The Netherlands

    Xiangmei Meng

  3. The Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research(ZAE Bayern), Division 1: Technology for Energy Systems andRenewable Energy, Walther-Meissner-Str. 6, 85748, Garching, Germany

    Hartmut Spliethoff

Authors
  1. Panagiotis Mitsakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matthias Mayerhofer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiangmei Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hartmut Spliethoff
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Matthias Gaderer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Panagiotis Mitsakis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mitsakis, P., Mayerhofer, M., Meng, X. et al. Optical measurement of tars in a fluidized bed gasifier: influence of fuel type and gasification parameters on their formation. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 3, 157–167 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0069-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0069-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation