Abstract
The main aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive process model for biomass gasification in a pilot scale bubbling fluidized bed gasifier using the ASPEN PLUS simulator. A drawback in using ASPEN PLUS is the lack of a library model to simulate fluidized bed unit operation. However, it is possible for users to input their own models, using FORTRAN codes nested within the ASPEN PLUS input file, to simulate operation of a fluidized bed. The products of homogeneous reactions are defined by Gibbs equilibrium and reaction rate kinetics are used to determine the products of char gasification. Governing hydrodynamic equations for a bubbling bed and kinetic expressions for the char combustion were adopted from the literature. Different sets of gasification results for the operation conditions (temperature and air equivalence ratio (ER)) obtained from the our pilot-scale gasifier having a capacity of 1 kg/hr of olive kernel as feeding biomass, were used to demonstrate the validation of the model. The simulation results received from the application of the model were compared with the above experimental results and showed good agreement.
Highlights
The traditional approach necessary to establish comercial plant technology is based on comprehensive experimental investigations, progressing from a laboratory scale test unit to a pilot scale plant, before building a full-scale commercial demonstration plant
The main aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive process model for biomass gasification in a pilot scale bubbling fluidized bed gasifier using the ASPEN PLUS simulator
A model was developed for the gasification of biomass in a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier using the ASPEN PLUS simulator
Summary
The traditional approach necessary to establish comercial plant technology is based on comprehensive experimental investigations, progressing from a laboratory scale test unit to a pilot scale plant, before building a full-scale commercial demonstration plant. An extensive investigation of the plant behaviour depending on various operating parameters is required for each scale up step. To support this optimisation procedure, mathematical models are helpful to reduce the temporal and financial efforts. The development of numerical models for fluidizedbed gasification (FBG) documented in the literature [2] are devoted mainly to coal and less to biomass. Chejne and Hernandez [4] developed a comprehensive mathematical model to predict the behaviour of coal combustion and gasification on stacks in non-stationary operation. Ross et al [6] modified their one-dimensional numerical isothermal model of a fluidised-bed coal gasifier in order to simulate the performance of a laboratory-scale gasifier
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