Experimental and simulation results of gasification of biomedical waste and Indian palm kernel shell in a fluidized bed gasifier under steam atmosphere

Abstract

Gasification is the process that converts the stored energy in biomass into useful energy. In this study, a fluidized bed gasifier is used to steam gasify Biomedical Waste (BMW) such as face shields, air respirators, syringes, hand gloves, glucose plastic bottles, gowns, aprons and Indian Palm Kernel Shell (PKS). An experimental investigation is carried out in which, the co-gasification of Indian PKS and BMW in the ratio of 80PKS:20BMW, 60PKS:40BMW, 40PKS:60BMW, 20PKS:80BMW are used to synthesize producer gas from a Fluidized Bed Gasifier (FBG) using mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate (Mg2+, Fe2+) 2SiO4 as a main catalytic agent. Co-feeding BMW with PKS is studied for its effects on gas, char, tar yield, carbon conversion efficiency, tar and gas composition. The tar and char yield are reduced but gas yield is increased for co-gasification of BMW and PKS. The carbon conversion efficiency of 80PKS:20BMW and 20PKS:80BMW has increased to 77.7% and 97% respectively. The H2 and CO content are increase for 20PKS:80BMW but methane, carbon dioxide and ethylene content are drops because of the usage of olivine as a main catalytic agent. The cyclone flow field pattern has been simulated and analyzed with the aid of velocity components and static pressure. It is found that the separation effect on small particles size ratio and pressure drop is reduced by 41% and 13.3% respectively. Whereas the separation efficiency is improved, the overall performance of the separator is also improved and the energy consumption is reduced.