BIOMASS GASIFICATION &

IT’S KINEMATICS.
 WHAT IS BIOMASS??

-An organic material used For Energy Production.

-Generally It is a stored Solar Energy via the Process
‘Photosynthesis’ in plants.
-Types can be: Wood
Garbage
Crops
Landfill Gas
Alcohol Fuels.
 OBTAINING ENERGY FROM BIOMASS:

-Biomass is of: #Low Density

#Low Energy Content Per Unit Weight
-High Transportation Costs ,So Biomass produced is converted on Site
into More Energy Dense form like:
#Electricity
#Synthetic Natural Gas
#Pyrolitic Char or Oil
-On site utilization allow Co-generation from waste heat
,thus maximizing overall efficiency.
-Energy can be obtained from these By help of Biofuels.
 INTRODUCTION TO GASIFICATION:
-Gasification: Conversion of (organics) Carbonacious materials into
CO, H2 & CO2.
-Thermo-Chemical process of converting Biomass into Syngas or
Producer Gas.
-Simple representation of Gasification reaction:
Biomass → H2 + CO + CO2(g) + HC(g) + Tar(l) + Char(s)
#WHY NOT COMBUSTION ?
: GHG Emissions can be reduced.
: FUEL Efficiency can be increased.
: Wide range of feedstocks.
: Syngas can be combusted at higher Temp., so Thermodynamic
upper limit can be reached(Carnot’s Cycle).
 HISTORY OF GASIFICATION:

-The history of gasification dates back to seventeenth century. Since

the conception of idea, gasification has passed through several
phases of development.

-1788: Robert Gardner becomes the first to obtain a patent dealing

with gasification.
-1791: John Barber receives the first patent in which "producer gas"
was used to drive an internal combustion engine. 1798:
-Biomass gasification is first conceived when Philippe Lebon led
efforts to gasify wood.
 PROCESS OVERVIEW:

Material is reacted at
With Presence of
high Temp. (>700
Controlled amount of
degrees of Temp)
O2 or Steam.

Gasification &
Resulting Gas mixture Combustion of
is called ‘SYNGAS’. Resultant Gas is the
OR PRODUCER GAS source of Renewable
Energy.

Biomass Gasification consists of : Drying ,

Pyrolysis &
Partial Oxidation
-Useful Products from Gasification are : Syngas , Heat , Power,
Biofuels , Fertilizer & Biochar.
-Syngas can be processed into Chemical feedstocks like methanol.

-Tar Formation During Gasification Is Serious Problem.

-Tar : A Thick & Viscous liquid Containing Heavy Aromatic Carbons
-Can cause operational issue & decrease the Efficiency.

-TarCan be reduced by: Thermal Cracking, Steam Reforming, Dry

Reforming, Carbon Formation and Partial Oxidation
 SYNGAS :
-Produced by Gasification using Oxygen as Gasifying agent.
-A mixture of CO & H2 + CO2 ,CH4,C2H4 ,N2 ,H2O & Tar
-After Cleaning ,can be used to produce SNG ,H2 ,NH3 ,Methanol
etc.
-Called as Producer Gas If non-combustible gases(N2 ,CO2) are
Significant.
 THE PROCESS:

#UPSTREAM : Material inputs for production

#DOWNSTREAM : Opposite end, Product gets produced &

distributed
 # UPSTREAM PROCESSING
1. Particle Size Reduction
2. Drying
3. Densification

Why Small Particles ?

Faster Heat transfer rates USE OF Hammer Mills & Tube Grinders
Results In more CH4 C2H4 & CO But + Screens are Employed.
Less CO2.

Biomass Drying is Upto 10 % Level

-As Low Density Fuels Causes Problems -By this Waste Heat can be Used
, so Biomass is densified into Pellets. -Driers Can be Perforated or Band
Conveyor or Rotary Cascade Type.
 GASIFICATION
THERMODYNAMICS & KINEMATICS

-We will be dealing with different processes like Oxidation , Drying, Pyrolysis &
Reduction.
-The Biomass Gasification is usually done In Gasifiers Which We’ll Study later
on in next Presentation.
-Steam Reforming & WGS Reaction is to be Discussed.
-Brief OVERVIEW:
Gas Phase- Syngas With LHV = 13 MJ/Kg
Light (ethane, propane) & Heavy(Tar) Hydrocarbons
Undesirable H2S & HCl
Compositions Depends on Biomass treated
LHV Depends on Feedstock & Gasifier Operational Conditions

Solid Phase- Char & Ash

Carbon amount depends upon Operational Conditions
LHV of Char = 25-30 MJ/Kg
 OXIDATION

-Provides Thermal energy

required
-Only H2 And Char Participates
-IF air is used then Mixture has
N2

DRYING

-Endothermic
-Completes If Reached 150 degrees Biomass
Temp.
-Released Water Vapour is used in Other Stages.
 PYROLYSIS

Decomposition Solid Fraction :

Endothermic of Biomass High Carbon
Reactions at Matrix. Solid Content & inert
250-700 Liquid & gaseous
materials. High
degrees fractions are
LHV
formed.

Gaseous Fraction: Liquid Fraction

70-90 % : Tars & % vary
Mixture of Gases with type of
H2 ,CO ,CO2 & Light Gasifiers.
Hydrocarbons

SOLID Fraction is 5-10 % for fluidized bed gasifiers & 20-25 % of Fixed Bed gasifiers

LIQUID Fraction is 1% for Downdraft , Upto 5% for Fluidized Bed & 10-20% For Updraft
Gasifiers.
 REDUCTION:

-These reduction Reactions are Endothermic & Chemical Equilibrium is there.

-Endothermic Reactions are favoured when Temp. is increased & Exothermic at lower
Temp.
- Reduction Temp. finds out Syngas Composition & characteristics.
PLANT FIGURE :
 STEAM REFORMING(SMR):
-Reformer Device
-Production of H2 &CO
- Via Steam Reaction with
Methane at 700-1100
degrees in Ni Catalyst
Presence.

-This CO can be converted into H2 by Gas Shift Reaction

-Cu or Fe Catalyst

-FOR NMHC(non methane

hydrocarbons)
-At lower Temp. & low Steam
supply
 WGS REACTION:

-Increasing H2/CO ratio of syngas

-Syngas is passed through reactor
containing Shift Catalysts at 400-
-It can be a Sour shifting or Sweet shifting
9000F

-Sour Shifting uses Co-Mo Catalyst to convert COS(organic sulfur) into H2S
-Sweet Shifting can be at lower or higher Temp. as:
 OPERATING CONDITION OF GASIFIERS:
1. ER(Equivalence Ratio):
Ratio of Actual air flow to Stoichiometric air flow for biomass
combustion.
Indicates extent of partial combustion & controls Gasification
temp.(higher the flow greater the Temp.)
ER from .2 - .5 increases Gas yield
2. Superficial Velocity(m/sec) : Air Flow rate to the gasifier
crossection(m3/m2sec) & it affects the gasifying time.
3. S/B : Steam to Biomass ratio & higher is this ,Higher is Biomass
conversion efficiency & Tar formation is reduced.
Also WGS & Methane Reforming reactions are favoured

4. H/C ratio: Increase in it from 1.6 to 2.2 ,H2Content & LHV increases
& affects Tar formation.
 DOWNSTREAM PROCESSING:
- It’s a removal process & is last stage of gasification.
-Components to Focus:TAR
PARTICULATES
ALKALI COMPOUNDS( CaO K2O etc.)

-Removal of Tar by WGS & Reforming

-Removal of other undesirable Constituents by: Cyclone Separator
Wet Scrubbing
Barrier Filters

#Cyclone Separators remove large particles(> 5 microns).

#Scrubbers can remove 1 micron particles with 95% efficiency.(Temp.<100)
# Barrier Filters: Either Metallic or Ceramic Porous Candle Filters.(Temp. 350)
-A Simple Cyclone Separator
-Vortex action Principle
--Also Called Dry Scrubbers
THANK YOU