Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Energy Valorization of Solid Vines Pruning by Thermal Gasification in a Pilot Plant

  • Case study
  • Published:
Waste and Biomass Valorization Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The wine industry, an important economic activity in Portugal, particularly in the Alto-Alentejo region, generates large amounts of residues, specially, the pruning of the vines. Various technologies, including energy and agricultural applications, have been considered for the economical valorization of these residues. In this work the results of a study on the potential use of vines pruning biomasses as a source for syngas (gasification gas) production by thermal gasification are presented. The study was conducted in a pilot thermal gasification plant, installed at Portalegre’s Industrial Park. The unit is based on fluidized bed technology, with a processing capacity of 70 kg/h, and operates at 800 °C. The gasification tests were performed continuously for several days, using pellets of mixtures with different mass ratios of vine pruning and wood, in order to optimize the heat value and the composition of produced gas and condensate obtained. A thermodynamic model were developed to allow simulation of the biomass gasification process in a fluidized bed gasifier and to anticipate the composition of the produced gas from the biomass elemental analysis and the prevailing operational conditions. Experimental results fit quite well to the used model. Results show that vines pruning biomasses have interesting features for use as gasification gas raw-material.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Balat, M.: Gasification of biomass to produce gaseous products. Energy Sour. A 31, 516 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. McKendry, P.: Energy production from biomass (part 1). Bioresour. Technol. 83, 37 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. McKendry, Peter.: Energy production from biomass (part 3): gasification technologies. Bioresour. Technol. 83, 55 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Rajvanshi, A.K.: Biomass Gasification in Alternative Energy in Agriculture, vol. II, p. 83. CRC Press, Ed. D.Y. Goswami (1986)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Li, X.: Biomass gasification in a circulating fluidized bed. Ph.D. thesis at the University of British Columbia (2002)

  6. Prins, M.J.: Thermodynamic analysis of biomass gasification and torrefaction. Ph.D. thesis at Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Proefschrift (2005)

  7. Altafini, C.R., Mirandola, A.: A Chemical Equilibrium Model of the Coal Gasification Process Based on the Minimization of the Gibbs Free Energy. Flowers 97, Italy (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ruggiero, M., Manfrida, G.: An equilibrium model for biomass gasification processes. Renew. Energy 16, 1106 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lapuerta, M., Hernández, J., Tinaut, F.V., Horillo, A.: Thermochemical behaviour of producer gas from gasification of lignocellulosic biomass in SI engines. SAE paper series 2001-01-3586 (2001)

  10. Zainal, Z.A., Ali, R., Lean, C.H., Seetharamu, K.N.: Prediction of performance of a downdraft gasifier using equilibrium modeling for different biomass materials. Energy Convers. Manag. 42, 1499 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Altafini, C.R., Wander, P.R., Barreto, R.M.: Prediction of working parameters of a wood waste gasifier through an equilibrium model. Energy Convers. Manag. 44, 2763 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Schuster, G., Löffler, G., Weigl, K., Hofbauer, H.: Biomass steam gasification—an extensive parametric modeling study. Bioresour. Technol. 77, 71 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ciferno, J.P., Marano, J.J.: Benchmarking Biomass Gasification Technologies for Fuels, Chemicals and Hydrogen Production. Report for The U.S, Departament of Energy- National Energy Technology Laboratory (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Di Blasi, C.: Kinetic Modeling of Biomass Gasification and Combustion. ThermalNet Report, Inteligent Energy Europe (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Vaezi, M., Passandideh-Fard, M., Moghiman, M., Charmchi, M.: Modeling biomass gasification: a new approach to utilize renewable sources of energy. Proceedings of IMECE2008, 31 Oct–6 Nov (2008), Boston, Massachusetts, USA

  16. Melgar, A., Perez, J., Horrillo, A.: Biomass gasification process in a downdraft fixed bed gasifier: a real time diagnosis model based on gas composition analysis. Rev. Fac. Ing. Univ. Antioquia 49, 9 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Huang, H.-J., Ramaswamy, S.: Modeling biomass gasification using thermodynamic equilibrium. Approach Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 154, 193 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Koroneos, C., Lykidou, S., Koroneos, C., Lykidou, S.: Equilibrium modeling for a dοwndraft biomass gasifier for cotton stalks biomass in comparison with experimental data. J.Chem. Eng. Mater. Sci. 2, 61 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Caputo, A., Palumbo, M., Pelagagge, P., Scacchia, F.: Economics of biomass energy utilization in combustion and gasification plants: effects of logistic variables. Biomass Bioenergy 28, 35 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Yunus, M.K., Ahmad, M.M., Inayat, A., Yusup, S.: Simulation of enhanced biomass gasification for hydrogen production using iCON. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 62 (2010)

  21. Pérez-Fortes, M., Bojarski, A.D.: “Modeling syngas generation”, Green energy and technology, 55 (2011)

  22. Belleville, P., Capart, R.: A model for predicting outlet gas concentration from a wood Gasifier. In: Bridgwater, A.V. (ed.) Thermochemical Processing of Biomass, p. 217. UK, Butterworks (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Babu, B.V., Sheth, P.N.: Modeling and simulation of reduction zone of downdraft biomass gasifier: effect of char reactivity factor. Energy Convers. Manag. 47, 2602 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kwiatkowski, K., Korotko, J., Zuk, P., Bajer, K.: Modeling of biomass pyrolysis and gasification in industrial-scale gasifier. 1st ERCOFTAC conference on simulation of multiphase flows in gasification and combustion, Dresden, Germany, 18–21 Sept 2011

  25. Van den Aarsen, F.G.: Fluidized bed wood gasifier performance and modeling. Ph.D. thesis, University of Twente (NL) (1985)

  26. Corella, J., Alday, F.J., Herguido, J.: A model for the non-stationary states of a commercial fluidized bed air gasifier of biomass. In: Grassi, G., et al. (eds.) Biomass for Energy and Industry, vol. 2, pp. 2804–2809. Elsevier, London (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Bilodeau, F., Therien, N., Proulx, P., Czernik, S., Chornet, E.: A mathematical model of fluidized bed biomass gasification. Can. J. Chem. Eng. 71, 549 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Jiang, H., Morey, R.V.: Pyrolysis of corncobs at fluidization. Biomass Bioenergy 3, 81 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Jiang, H., Morey, R.V.: A numerical model of fluidized bed biomass gasifier. Biomass Bioenergy 3, 431 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Hamel, S., Krumm, W.: Modelling and simulation of bubbling fluidized bed gasification reactors. Proceedings of 3rd European conference on fluidization, Toulouse, France, 29–31 May 2000, pp 519–527, (2000)

  31. Mansaray, K.G., Al-Taweel, A.M., Ghaly, A.E., Hamdullahpur, F., Ugursal, V.I.: Mathematical modeling of a fluidized bed rice husk gasifier: part I—model development. Energy Sour. 22, 83 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Mansaray, K.G., Al-Taweel, A.M., Ghaly, A.E., Hamdullahpur, F., Ugursal, V.I.: Mathematical modeling of a fluidized bed rice husk gasifier: part II—model sensitivity. Energy Sour. 22, 167 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Rice, A.C.: Solid waste generation and by-product recovery potential from winery residues. Am. J. Enol. Viticult. 27, 21 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Fiori, L., Florio, L.: Gasification and combustion of grape marc: comparison among different scenarios. Waste Biomass Valor. 1, 191 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Perry, R.H., Green, D.W. (eds.): Perry’s chemical engineers’ handbook (7th Edition). McGraw-Hill (1997)

Download references

Acknowledgments

The Authors thanks to U.E. Commission, POCTEC Program, ALTERCEXA Project, for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. C3i—Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação e Inovação, Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Apartado 148, 7300-901, Portalegre, Portugal

    Paulo S. D. Brito, Anabela S. Oliveira & Luiz F. Rodrigues

Authors
  1. Paulo S. D. Brito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anabela S. Oliveira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Luiz F. Rodrigues
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paulo S. D. Brito.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brito, P.S.D., Oliveira, A.S. & Rodrigues, L.F. Energy Valorization of Solid Vines Pruning by Thermal Gasification in a Pilot Plant. Waste Biomass Valor 5, 181–187 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-013-9246-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-013-9246-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation