Integrated Biomass Gasification Research Articles

Development of a Large-Scale Integrated Solar-Biomass Thermal Facility for Green Production of Useful Outputs

The present paper develops a new multigeneration plant to produce multiple commodities from two combined renewable energy sources, solar thermal and biomass and considers a specific case study administered for the city of Al Lith in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The plant generates power, heating, refrigeration, hydrogen, chlorine, concentrated sodium hydroxide, ammonia, urea, and fresh water, which are commodities at high demand in the area. The energy efficiency is determined to be 53% with an annual generation of over 1036 GWh of power and cogenerated 858 GWh of heating, nearly 23 GWh of refrigeration effect, over 11,300 tons of ammonia, almost 1800 tons of urea, over 113,000 tons of concentrated sodium hydroxide and over 905,000 m3 of fresh water. The exergy contents of heating, refrigeration, power and commodity products represent a total of 45% of the sources, which leads to a multigeneration platform's exergy efficiency. The system includes an integrated biomass gasification combined cycle with a biomass oxy-gasifier. The Aspen Plus simulations of the oxy-gasifier determined that the oxygen-to-biomass weight fraction should be set to 0.15, whereas the steam-to-biomass weight fraction is around 0.1. The exhaust gas recirculation is applied to enhance power generation rate and efficiency. The recirculation ratio of exhaust gas is found to be 0.21 if power generation efficiency is to be maximized and 0.28 if the power generation rate is to be maximized. The fluctuating and intermittent nature of the solar energy resource causes poor economics when this energy is to be captured in isolation or itself only. The current paper demonstrates that the hybridization of solar and biomass energy together with integrated processes for multiproduct generation enhances the overall competitivity of the renewable energy system. To address this aspect, the objective of the paper is to develop and assess a new integrated flowsheet for hybrid renewable resource multigeneration.

Exergoeconomic Analysis and Optimization of a Biomass Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Based on Externally Fired Gas Turbine, Steam Rankine Cycle, Organic Rankine Cycle, and Absorption Refrigeration Cycle.

Adopting biomass energy as an alternative to fossil fuels for electricity production presents a viable strategy to address the prevailing energy deficits and environmental concerns, although it faces challenges related to suboptimal energy efficiency levels. This study introduces a novel combined cooling and power (CCP) system, incorporating an externally fired gas turbine (EFGT), steam Rankine cycle (SRC), absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC), and organic Rankine cycle (ORC), aimed at boosting the efficiency of biomass integrated gasification combined cycle systems. Through the development of mathematical models, this research evaluates the system's performance from both thermodynamic and exergoeconomic perspectives. Results show that the system could achieve the thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency, and levelized cost of exergy (LCOE) of 70.67%, 39.13%, and 11.67 USD/GJ, respectively. The analysis identifies the combustion chamber of the EFGT as the component with the highest rate of exergy destruction. Further analysis on parameters indicates that improvements in thermodynamic performance are achievable with increased air compressor pressure ratio and gas turbine inlet temperature, or reduced pinch point temperature difference, while the LCOE can be minimized through adjustments in these parameters. Optimized operation conditions demonstrate a potential 5.7% reduction in LCOE at the expense of a 2.5% decrease in exergy efficiency when compared to the baseline scenario.

A conceptual hydrogen, heat and power polygeneration system based on biomass gasification, SOFC and waste heat recovery units: Energy, exergy, economic and emergy (4E) assessment

Integrated polygeneration systems have emerged as an effective and sustainable solution for maximizing the utilization of renewable fuels, and offer multiple economic and environmental advantages. This work proposes a new polygeneration system to produce hydrogen, heat, and power based on integrating biomass gasification, solid oxide fuel cell, gas turbine, organic Rankine cycle, and supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle. The proposed system is simulated in Aspen Plus, and the performance is evaluated based on energy, exergy, economic, and emergy analyses. The overall energy and exergy efficiencies attain 76.82% and 60.64%, respectively. The levelized cost of hydrogen is 4.06 $/kg, comparable to those reported in the literature, and the yearly income generated through revenue sales of hydrogen, heat, and electricity can reach up to 58.42 M$. The emergy analysis showed that the system depends on purchased inputs but can efficiently use the available resources to generate valuable products. The hybrid system has low environmental impacts in the long term. It can serve as a low-cost, low-carbon, and profitable polygeneration system of hydrogen, heat, and power, with a good quality of energy conversion.

Integrated Gasification of Biomass Residues (IBGCC)

A comprehensive outline of a new approach in integrated gasification of biomass residues including the material flow management in urban areas being targeted on the generation of electricity and district heating is presented. The feedstock is derived from civilian material by fully automated collection, sorting and separation. Thereby an outward transfer of inerts is executed, such as minerals, metals, glass and electronic scrap as well as sorted plastics being object to recycling. Finally a ligno cellulosic and a non-lignocellulosic fraction are gained. The for mer one is suitable for thermochemical conversion, the latter one for biological conversion into fuel gases which subsequently are oxidised completely at low air excess in a horizontally arranged cyclone combustion chamber. The heat recovered from the flue gases in the utility boiler is used to generate steam scooping in the supply of electricity and district heating. The basic design is scaled to an overall thermal capacity of 2-5 MW. This type is most capable of utilising renewable energy by converting the organic fractions of civilian material flows. The power plant is based on a reliable technology representing an on-site integrated biomass gasification combined cycle system including peripheral units specified for the treatment of complementary materials.

Achieving zero CO2 emissions from integrated biomass gasification with CO2 capture and utilization (IGCCU)

Achieving zero CO2 emissions from integrated biomass gasification with CO2 capture and utilization (IGCCU)

Thermodynamic analysis of a net zero emission system with CCHP and green DME production by integrating biomass gasification

Thermodynamic analysis of a net zero emission system with CCHP and green DME production by integrating biomass gasification

Continuous decentralized hydrogen production through alkaline water electrolysis powered by an oxygen-enriched air integrated biomass gasification combined cycle

This research work presents an innovative approach for continuous decentralized production of renewable hydrogen from woody biomass. Alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) is used to produce high-purity hydrogen, while the oxygen by-product is mixed with ambient air and used to fire a biomass-fueled downdraft gasifier in order to produce an upgraded producer gas with a lower heating value (LHV) between 7–8 MJ/Nm3. This fuel gas is then subjected to a conditioning stage and eventually fed to a combined cycle consisting of a recuperative gas turbine as topping unit and a regenerative subcritical organic Rankine cycle as bottoming unit, which together allow for a combined electric power generation efficiency close to 40%. Most of the net AC power from the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) is rectified to DC power and ultimately used to power an alkaline electrolyzer, with a minor share allocated to all the required utilities and ancillary equipment, including hydrogen compression to 200 bar. The results from simulation of the hybrid IGCC-AWE plant under steady-state operating conditions in Aspen Plus V.11 indicate an optimal efficiency of 17.6% based on the LHV of hydrogen. Thus, if sized for a biomass consumption of 1 t/h, the proposed plant is capable of providing around 26 kg/h of compressed hydrogen at 200 bar.

Proposal of novel exergy-based sustainability indices and case study for a biomass gasification combine cycle integrated with liquid metal magnetohydrodynamics

Exergy is considered a way to sustainability. Exergy-based analyses have been recently widely used for performance assessment and comparison purposes of energy systems from production to end-user while different sustainability related indices or indicators including exergetic concepts have been developed in the literature. In this regard, the present study proposed five different indices: (i) Exergetic Fuel Based Environmental Remediation Index (χ), (ii) Exergetic Product Based Environmental Remediation Index (δ), (iii) Exergetic Fuel Based Total Environmental Remediation Index (β), (iv) Exergetic Product Based Total Environmental Remediation Index (α), and (v) Improved Sustainability Index (ISI). These indices were applied to a novel Biomass-integrated Gasification Combine Cycle (BIGCC) integrated with Liquid Metal Magnetohydrodynamics (LMMHD). They allowed to perform a more complete environmental analysis by considering the exergetic cost of environmental remediation of the process. The average exergy efficiency values for the BIGCC, LMMHD and the overall system were determined as 0.491, 0.222 and 0.688 under daily ambient temperatures for a year and different air to fuel ratio (AFR) conditions, respectively. The average values for χ, β, δ, α and ISI were 1.636, 2.389, 1.949, 2.848 and 0.513, respectively.

Sustainability analysis of the bio-dimethyl ether (bio-DME) production via integrated biomass gasification and direct DME Synthesis Process

The sustainability analysis based on life cycle assessment (LCA) of bio-dimethyl ether (bio-DME) production via an integrated biomass gasification and direct DME synthesis (IBG-DME) process, using oil palm residue as feedstock, was performed. The IBG-DME process was simulated in Aspen plus. Operating at selected condition, the IBG-DME was an exothermic process, whereas for 1 kg h−1 of oil palm trunk, bio-DME of 0.3456 kg h−1 and bio-methanol of 0.015 kg h−1 were produced as main product and by product, respectively, with energy efficiency at 59.5%. The energy consumption increased as gasifying temperature increased and reached thermal self-sufficient condition at approximately 890 °C but the CO2 emission showed opposite trend. LCA result indicated that the carbon footprint of each unit operation relied on the energy consumption. For biomass gasification section, the global warming potential (GWP) accounted for approximately 91% of the total impact. The DME production section highly contributed toward the ozone depletion potential (ODP), eco-toxicity (ET), and human toxicity-non-carcinogenics (HTNC) whereas the syngas cleaning and conditioning section highly contributed toward GWP, human toxicity potential by ingestion (HTPI), and aquatic toxicity potential (ATP). The endpoint impact on the ecosystem were higher than the human health for all process sections.

Study of Trends in System Efficiency for a Biomass Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System when Carbon Dioxide Content is Enhanced

Study of Trends in System Efficiency for a Biomass Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell Gas Turbine System when Carbon Dioxide Content is Enhanced

Regulation strategies and thermodynamic analysis of combined cooling, heating, and power system integrated with biomass gasification and solid oxide fuel cell

A solid oxide fuel cell combined cooling, heating, and power system integrating biomass gasification is proposed. The hybrid system consists of the biomass gasifier, solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine, and waste heat recovery device. The system can be divided into different configurations by adjusting the valve opening to change the waste heat mode. The thermodynamic model is established and validated; the system evaluation indicators and the thermodynamic, economic and environmental performance are researched under design conditions. The influences of several crucial parameters on syngas composition and system performance under the different configurations are investigated. This paper also evaluates the scope of system regulation and energy output to meet the energy demand side. The analysis results indicate that system power efficiency is 58.92% at the preferred configuration, and the system energy and exergy efficiency can attain 86.70% and 50.45%. The system total cost rate and the CO2 emission rate are relatively lower, at 19.6$/h and 0.4722kg/kWh. By implementing different configuration strategies, the system exergy efficiency is between 46.55% and 50.45%. The system heating to power ratio and cooling to power ratio can vary from 0 to 0.58 and 0 to 0.77.

Machine learning-based metaheuristic optimization of an integrated biomass gasification cycle for fuel and cooling production

Nowadays, Combined cycles have attracted much attention for improving the efficiency of the thermodynamic cycles. In these systems, the main idea is to optimally use the waste energy from the power cycle, to run the cooling, heating, and storage cycles of hydrogen and biofuel-based ammonia. In this research study, an innovative integrated biomass gasification energy system for ammonia production is used alongside hydrogen storage. In addition, gasification is used to produce the required fuel for power generation. The gasification intake air is preheated with solar panels and then enters the gasification unit. The cooling water passing through this stage is heated up to the temperature of the electrolysis and then gets decomposed. The produced hydrogen fuel is used and stored for ammonia fuel production. The power cycle consists of a gas turbine system alongside a Rankin cycle, and then the exhaust gas is guided towards the cooling cycle of a double-effect absorption chiller. The results show that this system can generate power up to 7 megawatts with an exergy efficiency of 66%. Furthermore, ammonia production and hydrogen storage rates are 0.38 and 0.101 kg per second, respectively. Genetic algorithm optimization along with machine learning methods is used to achieve the optimization points of this cycle. At the optimized point, this cycle can produce 0.5347 kg per second of ammonia with an exergy efficiency of nearly 64%.

Brazilian integrated oilpalm-sugarcane biorefinery: An energetic, exergetic, economic, and environmental (4E) assessment

Given the imminent energy transition towards more sustainable and renewable energy systems, bioenergy represents an indispensable short and medium-term alternative. However, a key factor for developing the global bioindustry is establishing and consolidating integrated multi-product systems capable of efficiently and sustainably converting some organic materials into biofuels, bioelectricity, and other affordable bioproducts. Under this horizon, this work aims to evaluate and compare, through the thermodynamics precepts (1st and 2nd law), fixed capital investment, and life cycle analysis, different integrated bioenergetic complexes in which lignocellulosic material from oil palm and sugarcane cultures are processed simultaneously. These systems were structured for the Brazilian scenario, a country with a prominent role in bioenergy conversion, given its recognized soil and climate potential, large territory, and expertise in the bioenergy field. Consequently, this work presents a study of three scenarios: the first (CI), conventional palm oil biodiesel and sugarcane ethanol system; the second (CII) oilpalm–sugarcane biorefinery annexed to a lignocellulosic biomethanol plant; and the third (CIII) which is an extension of the second, but in this one, the concepts of advanced gas turbine integrated biomass gasification (BIG-GTCC) cycles are inserted. In this sense, a systematic analysis methodology is developed and implemented, which allows characterizing and measuring the energy, exergy, and environmental aspects related to the lignocellulosic material energy conversion, providing indicators that enable and facilitate the evaluation and selection of technologies that contribute to global energy decarbonization. The results obtained from the thermodynamic evaluation expose the advantage of getting a more prominent energy portfolio from various raw materials, with CIII standing out before the other scenarios, with superior performance in Global plant efficiency (53.4 %), Surplus Electricity Index (86.6 kWh tonMP−1), and Global plant exergy efficiency (62.7 %), associated with BIG-GTCC integrating, verifying how attractive it is for agribusinesses. From an economic point of view, integration is not feasible; however, it could be significantly improved through fiscal incentives founded on fossil energy use reduction, enhanced conversion yielding, and improvements in conversion technologies. On the other hand, the LCA results showed the potential environmental benefits associated with the fossil diesel partial substitution by biodiesel (considering methanol derived from lignocellulosic material), both in sugarcane and palm culture, enabling the fossil energy consumption reduction by 79.6 % (sugarcane) and 69.2 % (palm) by the methyl route. Consequently, Fossil Energy Ratio (FER) increases to 9 energy units and Life Cycle Energy Efficiency (LCEE) up to 52.6 % are achieved in the oilpalm–sugarcane biorefinery.

Prediction of Process Parameters for the Integrated Biomass Gasification Power Plant Using Artificial Neural Network

Alternative renewable fuels like biomass have the potential to be considered for electricity generation by replacing the utilization of fossil fuels and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions into the environment. An integrated biomass gasification power plant is the best suitable option to generate electricity from different biomass feedstocks. Several modeling and simulation techniques have been utilized for the integrated biomass gasification power generation process. These models are utilized to predict the power output from the different gasifier types, designs, and feedstocks. In this study, An Artificial neural network (ANN) model is developed to estimate the process parameters of the Integrated biomass gasification power plant. This ANN model predicts the gasification temperature (T) and air to fuel ratio (AFR) for the gasification process integrated with the power plant at the atmospheric pressure. There is a total of ten input parameters such as moisture content of biomass (M), volatile matter (VM), fixed carbon (FC), ash content (A), element composition of carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and required power (KW) are used to predict the two key gasification process parameters T and AFR. The data generated from thermodynamic equilibrium model simulations are employed in the developed ANN model for the different 86 biomass feedstocks. The proposed ANN model was optimized for the Mean Squared Error (MSE) loss function and evaluated using MSE and R score metrics. It is observed that the best predicted for a hidden layer size was of 60 neurons. The best test score was achieved as an MSE score of 1,497 and test R 0.9976. This study can be implemented for any kind of biomass feedstock for the power generation system.

Techno-economic assessment of a solar-assisted biomass gasification process

Integrated biomass gasification and solar energy systems, which use solid particles as a transport and storage medium for solar energy, are capable of providing a stable energy supply. However, it is necessary to evaluate the economic feasibility of the integrated system and the impact with introduction of carbon trading system. The economic feasibility of an eco-friendly solar-assisted biomass gasification combined heat and power plant that produce a constant amount of electricity and heat continuously using 100 tons of biomass per day is assessed. The analysis indicated that the levelized cost of energy for the solar-assisted biomass process was lower by $0.0035/kWh than that of a biomass-only process. The solar-assisted biomass process showed higher economic feasibility than the biomass-only process, as the net present value and internal rate of return were 2.41 times and 1.3 times higher in the former system. An additional annual income of $3.201 million attributable to carbon credit pricing acted as an important influencing factor for the solar-assisted biomass combined heat and power processes. Therefore, it is possible to realize an eco-friendly electricity and heat production through the solar-assisted biomass combined heat and power plant to which the emissions trading systems is applied as it helps to increase the economic feasibility by adjusting the heat sales price and woodchip price which are the most sensitive parameters.

Energy and exergy analysis of different biomass gasification coupled to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis configurations

The aim of this work is to evaluate the energy and exergy efficiencies at the system and subsystem level of different Integrated biomass Gasification coupled to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (IGFT) configurations. The combination of the first and second law analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the different analyzed systems and, in particular, of the peculiarities of hot gas cleaning. Four Aspen Plus models were developed: 1) air-based gasification, cold gas cleaning (CGC), FT synthesis; 2) air-based gasification, hot gas cleaning (HGC), FT synthesis; 3) steam-based gasification, CGC, FT synthesis; 4) steam-based gasification, HGC, FT synthesis. The results highlight the higher energy and exergy efficiency of the configurations that use hot gas cleaning system or steam as gasification agent, with the highest values (52.0% and 55.5%) achieved by the fourth configuration. The gasification part of the process shows the highest exergy irreversibilities, both in terms of exergy destruction and exergy loss, due to the large chemical exergy degradation and to the char production. The results of this work provide further evidence towards the feasibility of renewable biofuels production. Moreover, this analysis gives a more comprehensive understanding of the optimal IGFT technologies to maximize the energy and exergy efficiency.

Flexible Power and Biomass-To-Methanol Plants With Different Gasification Technologies

The competitiveness of biofuels may be increased by integrating biomass gasification plants with electrolysis units, which generate hydrogen to be combined with carbon-rich syngas. This option allows increasing the yield of the final product by retaining a higher amount of biogenic carbon and improving the resilience of the energy sector by favoring electric grid services and sector coupling. This article illustrates a techno-economic comparative analysis of three flexible power and biomass to methanol plants based on different gasification technologies: direct gasification, indirect gasification, and sorption-enhanced gasification. The design and operational criteria of each plant are conceived to operate both without green hydrogen addition (baseline mode) and with hydrogen addition (enhanced mode), following an intermittent use of the electrolysis system, which is turned on when the electricity price allows an economically viable hydrogen production. The methanol production plants include a gasification section, syngas cleaning, conditioning and compression section, methanol synthesis and purification, and heat recovery steam cycle to be flexibly operated. Due to the high oxygen demand in the gasifier, the direct gasification-based plant obtains a great advantage to be operated between a minimum load to satisfy the oxygen demand at high electricity prices and a maximum load to maximize methanol production at low electricity prices. This allows avoiding large oxygen storages with significant benefits for Capex and safety issues. The analysis reports specific fixed-capital investments between 1823 and 2048 €/kW of methanol output in the enhanced operation and LCOFs between 29.7 and 31.7 €/GJLHV. Economic advantages may be derived from a decrease in the electrolysis capital investment, especially for the direct gasification-based plants, which employ the greatest sized electrolyzer. Methanol breakeven selling prices range between 545 and 582 €/t with the 2019 reference Denmark electricity price curve and between 484 and 535 €/t with an assumed modified electricity price curve of a future energy mix with increased penetration of intermittent renewables.

A Novel System Integrating Biomass Gasification, Water Electrolysis, and Supercritical Co2 Cycle for Power Generation and Methanol Synthesis: Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis

A Novel System Integrating Biomass Gasification, Water Electrolysis, and Supercritical Co2 Cycle for Power Generation and Methanol Synthesis: Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis

Combined heat and power production based on sewage sludge gasification: An energy-efficient solution for wastewater treatment plants

• Energy recovery from sewage sludge through gasification is analysed. • Different solutions for combined heat and power production are assessed. • The analysis is applied to the case study of a real wastewater treatment plant. • A feasibility analysis of the proposed system is carried out. • The system appears to be economically and environmentally feasible. The main operating costs of wastewater treatment plants are related to the energy consumption and the disposal of by-products. Energy recovery from sewage sludge may be a solution to face both these challenges, improving the sustainability of wastewater treatment plants and making them an example of a circular economy. In this work, the energy and economic analysis of an integrated combined heat and power system based on sewage sludge gasification is proposed. The whole process is simulated by using the commercial software Aspen Plus®. A restricted equilibrium model is used to simulate the gasification of sewage sludge in an atmospheric fluidized bed reactor using air as a gasification agent. Syngas produced from gasification is used as a fuel in an internal combustion engine for combined heat and power production. Different solutions are compared: the internal combustion engine is supposed to be fuelled with syngas or with syngas and methane. In line with the pertinent literature on integrated biomass gasification–internal combustion engine systems, the engine is modeled by combining a compressor, a combustor and a turbine to simulate the four thermodynamic steps of an internal combustion engine. Electric and thermal energy produced by the system is used to supply a fraction of the demand for wastewater and sludge treatment. The energy analysis is carried out for a real wastewater treatment plant that serves 1.2 million of population equivalent, located in Southern Italy. The obtained results are used to carry out an energy and economic analysis, which aims at assessing the feasibility and environmental benefits of the proposed system over conventional technologies.

A Novel System Integrating Biomass Gasification, Water Electrolysis, and Supercritical Co2 Cycle for Power Generation and Methanol Synthesis: Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis

A Novel System Integrating Biomass Gasification, Water Electrolysis, and Supercritical Co2 Cycle for Power Generation and Methanol Synthesis: Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis