Integration Of Biomass Gasification Research Articles

Negative net global warming potential hydrogen production through biomass gasification combined with chemical looping: Environmental and economic assessments

The integration of biomass gasification (BG) with chemical looping hydrogen production (CLHP) offers one prospective approach for green hydrogen production. The environmental and economic assessments are conducted to evaluated the sustainable performance of the BG-CLHP system during the hydrogen production cycle (HPC). The results showed that the environmental impacts of BG-CLHP are concentrated in freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity (FAETP), human toxicity (HTP), and acidification (AP). The BG-CLHP system can provide a more cost-competitive hydrogen supply solution for hydrogen refueling stations compared the offshore wind or photovoltaic (PV) powered electrolysis, given the same hydrogen production target. For global warming potential (GWP) and cost, the BG-CLHP demonstrates excellent integrated performance with GWP values of −15.13 and −17.00 kg CO2, eq/kg H2, for the Air case and Oxygen case, and the costs of 3.05 and 2.82 $/kg H2, respectively, and sensitivity analysis reveals that the CLHP stage is the primary contributor to GWP. Compared with existing hydrogen production routes, BG-CLHP can still be improved in terms of costs and the technical maturity, however, the excellent negative GWP properties of BG-CLHP make it will play a more important role in future large-scale hydrogen production.

Integration of biomass gasification and O2/H2 separation membranes for H2 production/separation with inherent CO2 capture: Techno-economic evaluation and artificial neural network based multi-objective optimization

This study delves into the thermodynamic and techno-economic intricacies of a cutting-edge hydrogen production system driven by biomass gasification. The quest for zero emissions propels our innovative integration of an oxygen transport membrane and a hydrogen separation membrane, strategically optimized through artificial intelligence. By situating the oxygen transport membrane near the gasifier, efficient heat transfer and oxygen production synergistically enhance the molar fraction of hydrogen in the syngas. Subsequent utilization of the hydrogen separation membrane, coupled with water gas shift reactors, not only facilitates hydrogen separation and purification but also achieves inherent carbon dioxide capture and storage. This novel membrane-based approach obviates the need for a conventional carbon capture system. Before optimization, our system exhibited a generation rate of approximately 10.29 tons of H2 per day. The levelized cost of production stands at $2.78 per kilogram of hydrogen, with power consumption estimated at 2.99 kWh/kg-H2. The calculated payback period is 9.96 years, considering a sales cost of $3.50 per kg-H2. Multi objective optimization reveals promising prospects, with a potential 26% reduction in power consumption in one scenario. An alternative scenario indicates a remarkable 20% decrease in the system's payback period, accompanied by an 8% dip in the levelized cost of H2. These findings underscore the economic and energy benefits of our membrane-integrated hydrogen production system.

Evaluation of a green methanol production system using the integration of water electrolysis and biomass gasification

For a long time, the development of green shipping has been highly valued by countries and organizations. Biomass gasification-based green methanol is seen as a long-term alternative to conventional shipping fuel to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime sector. While the operational benefits of renewable methanol as a marine fuel are well-known, its cost and environmental performance depend largely on the production method. In this study, a green methanol production system based on the integration of biomass gasification and water electrolysis is proposed and evaluated via the parametric and thermodynamic analysis methods. The water electrolysis is used to increase the hydrogen content in syngas, thereby increasing the production of methanol. The results show that as the S/C ratio increases, the mass flow rate and the calorific value of product gas, the mole flow rate of methanol decreases. The enhancement of the H2/CO ratio can increase the mole fraction of H2, thereby increasing the methanol yield. The mole flow rate of methanol dramatically increases from 925.0 kmol/h to 3725.2 kmol/h. Additionally, the mole flow rate of methanol in the proposed system is 10776.0 kmol/h, larger than the traditional system of 3603.4 kmol/h. The carbon element conversion rate of the proposed system is 94.6%, higher than the 31.5% of the traditional system. This system can significantly provide an efficient green methanol production method for the shipping sector, while also helping to find a feasible solution for the consumption of renewable energy.

Determining the optimal biomass-gasification-based fuel cell trigeneration system in exergy-based cost and carbon footprint method considering energy level

The accompanying exergy-cost-carbon nexus in trigeneration systems brings challenges to distinguishing the formation mechanisms of costs and carbon footprints of power, cold, and heat. In this paper, a fuel cell trigeneration system based on biomass gasification is constructed, and seven optional system configurations are designed according to the waste heat utilization methods including organic Rankine cycle, absorption cycle, and heat exchange. A novel exergy-based cost and carbon footprint model based on the energy levels of energy streams is proposed to obtain the allocation rules of multiple products of the trigeneration system, in which carbon cost with exergy cost is integrated into the exergo-economic method. Using this method, the coupling relationships of exergy-cost-carbon are illustrated and the unit exergy-carbon costs and carbon footprints of electricity, cold, and heat are determined. To select the optimum configuration, a multi-criteria decision-making method, considering energetic, economic, and environmental aspects, is employed to calculate their compositive scores, in which the integrated weights of indicators combine the experts’ knowledge and opinions with the entropy information of numerical performances of alternative trigeneration configurations. The sensitivities of exergy-cost and exergy-carbon performances on operation time, carbon footprint of biomass, and interest rate are implemented to discuss their influences. The consideration of energy level increases the cost and carbon footprint of power from fuel cells by around 30%. The carbon cost of system power, chilled water, and hot water account for 5.18%, 6.89%, and 5.25% of their corresponding total exergy-carbon costs. The integration of biomass gasification, fuel cell, gas turbine, and heat exchanger achieves the best comprehensive performance.

A novel power, DME, and ammonia polygeneration system using Aspen plus based on the integration of biomass gasification and syngas chemical looping

To solve the problems of fossil energy shortage and environmental pollution, a novel polygeneration system based on corn straw gasification was developed using Aspen Plus. The system consists of gasification, the supercritical CO2 cycle, syngas chemical looping, ammonia synthesis, methanol synthesis, and dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis subsystems. This system can simultaneously generate power, DME, and ammonia. Sensitivity, energy, and exergy analyses were conducted on the system. The results showed that the thermal and exergy efficiencies of the system are 60.15% and 46.70%, respectively. The system can recover the initial investment cost in 8 years, and within a 20-year life cycle, the net present value of this new solution can reach 1566.61 k$. The sustainability index (SI) value of the entire system is 1.88.

Comparative Analysis of Energy and CO2 Emission for the Integration of Biomass Gasification with a Dual-Reactor Chemical Looping Hydrogen Production Process

Comparative Analysis of Energy and CO₂ Emission for the Integration of Biomass Gasification with a Dual-Reactor Chemical Looping Hydrogen Production Process

A conceptual process design towards CO2 emission reduction by integration of solar-based hydrogen production and injection into biomass-derived solid oxide fuel cell

Integration of biomass gasification with Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) is a promising technology, particularly for small scale decentralized power systems. In this paper, to reduce the CO2 emission and biomass consumption of this system, it is incorporated with solar-based hydrogen production. The produced hydrogen is injected into the biomass gasification-SOFC system, proposing two different configurations. In the first configuration, the hydrogen is injected into the anode inlet (to provide a hydrogen rich fuel), while in the second proposed configuration it is injected into the afterburner of the SOFC (to increase the gas turbine inlet temperature). The two proposed configurations are comprehensively assessed and compared from thermodynamic, environmental and economic standpoints. In thermoeconomic analysis, the negative environmental damage costs of CO2 emission, as the primary greenhouse gas, is taken into account. Also, a parametric study is conducted to ascertain the major design variables after which tri-objective optimization is performed based on CO2 emission, levelized cost of electricity and exergy efficiency. The results indicated superior performance for the system with hydrogen injection into the anode compared to the injection into the afterburner. The former configuration has 20.6% higher exergy efficiency with 23.2% lower emission and 14.0% lower levelized electricity cost. For this configuration under the optimum operation, the exergy efficiency, CO2 emission and electricity cost are found to be 24.85%, 0.257 kg/kWh and 0.0911 $/kWh, respectively.

Biomass direct gasification for electricity generation and natural gas replacement in the lime kilns of the pulp and paper industry: A techno-economic analysis

This study shows a comparative techno-economic analysis of the integration of biomass gasification for generation of producer gas to be used in electricity production and to replace natural gas in the lime kilns of the pulp and paper industry. Three study cases with alternative configurations of the energy system integrating biomass gasification were analysed, including or not the co-generation of electricity and thermal energy, namely: i) Case I, for generation of electricity from residual forest biomass (RFB) in an integrated gasification combined cycle system, ii) Case II, generation of producer gas by RFB gasification for replacement of natural gas in the burners of a lime kiln, and iii) Case III, as an integration of Cases I and II for combined production of electricity and heat. Residual forest biomass from eucalyptus logging activities for feedstock processing for the pulp and paper industry was considered as fuel for direct (air) gasification in bubbling fluidized bed. The analysis made is supported on review reports, namely, the evaluation of the existing literature on investment projects in biomass power plants, and on experimental investigation for determining the composition of the producer gas from gasification of the selected feedstock. An economic model was developed that combines the net present value, internal rate of return and payback period. The main results of the energy system analysis show that the net electricity generation is between 72 and 83 GWh/year, while the production of CaO in the lime kiln supported by combustion of producer gas, is 82.12 kt/year, and a global energy efficiency between 21.70 and 34.17 % is achieved for the analysed configurations of the energy system. The results of the economic analysis show a positive NPV, an IRR greater than the discount rate and a PBP less than the useful life of the plant. The sensitivity analysis shows quite favorable investment projections given the low probability that the NPV will reach negative values and compromise the economic viability of the project.

A Novel Electricity and Freshwater Production System: Performance Analysis from Reliability and Exergoeconomic Viewpoints with Multi-Objective Optimization

Based on the benefits of integrated gasification combined cycles (IGCCs), a cogeneration plant for providing electricity and freshwater is proposed. The main novelties of the devised system are the integration of biomass gasification and a regenerative gas turbine with intercooling and a syngas combustor, where the syngas produced in the gasifier is burned in the combustion chamber and fed to a gas turbine directly. The energy discharged from the gas turbine is utilized for further electricity and freshwater generation via Kalina and MED hybridization. The proposed system is analyzed from energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and reliability–availability viewpoints. The optimal operating condition and optimum performance criteria are obtained by hybridizing an artificial neural network (ANN), the multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm. According to results obtained, for the fourth scenario of the optimization process, optimal values of 45.10%, 14.27 kg·s−1, 12.95 USD·GJ−1, and 8141 kW are obtained for the exergy efficiency, freshwater production rate, sum unit cost of products, and net output power, respectively. According to reliability and availability assessment, the probability of the healthy working state of all components and subsystems is 88.4403%; the system is shown to be 87.74% available of the time over the 20-year lifetime.

Integration of biomass gasification with a supercritical CO2 and Kalina cycles in a combined heating and power system: A thermodynamic and exergoeconomic analysis

A novel cogeneration system based on a combination of a gas turbine cycle, a supercritical CO2 cycle, and a Kalina cycle is devised for heating and power generation. Energy, exergy, and exergoeconomic analysis are performed to assess the system’s performance and feasibility. According to the findings, the energy and exergy efficiencies of the system are obtained by 78.15% and 40.97%, respectively. In addition, heating capacity enhanced with the increment of air preheater’s terminal temperature difference (ΔTAP), air compressor’s pressure ratio (r1p), and pressure ratio of S–CO2 compressor (r2p). The system’s sum unit cost of the product (SUCP) decreased with the increment of ΔTAP and with the decrement of ammonia concentration. Besides, the minimum value of SUCP is obtained at the air compressor pressure ratio of r1p=13.24 and r2p=2.63. The maximum value of exergy efficiency is evaluated at ΔTAP=262K, r1p=14.5, and r2p=4.21. Moreover, the maximum net output power is obtained where the design parameters are set as ΔTAP=262K, r1p=14.5, and r2p=3.5. Furthermore, the economic analysis revealed that the payback period and net present value are evaluated to be 6.9 years and 5.374×10+6 $, respectively, for the electricity price of 0.07 $/kWh and fuel cost of 2 $/GJ.

A combined heat, hydrogen and power tri-generation system based on the use of catalytic membrane reactors with a dual-loop organic Rankine cycle

A dual-loop organic Rankine cycle (D-ORC) was used to recover waste heat from a biomass gasification process, for combined heat, hydrogen, and power (CHHP) generation. The process is based on the integration of biomass gasification with catalytic partial oxidation (CPO) and water-gas shift catalytic membrane reactors (WGS CMRs) for the simultaneous production and separation of hydrogen. The high temperature loop of the ORC was used to cool the CPO reactor effluent, while the low temperature loop was used to cool the WGS CMR retentate. Energy and exergy analyses were carried out to select the optima working fluids for this application. Hydrocarbons, siloxanes, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) were examined as potential candidates in this analysis. Results indicate that the highest efficiency was obtained when n-heptane and n-pentane were used as working fluids for the high and low temperature loops, respectively. Using this combination, electric and exergy efficiencies of 13.93% and 36.41% were computed, receptively. The process generates 1.37 kW of power, and produces 1.41 kg/hr of hydrogen at 773 K and 91.32 kg/hr of hot water at 363 K. The exergy analysis has also showed that the high temperature loop turbine and condenser have contributed the most, by around 32%, to the overall system irreversibility.

Biomass Gasification Integrated with Chemical Looping System for Hydrogen and Power. Coproduction Process – Thermodynamic and Techno‐Economic Assessment

AbstractThree biomass gasification‐based hydrogen and power coproduction processes are modeled with Aspen Plus. Case 1 is the conventional biomass gasification coupled with a shift reactor, cases 2 and 3 involve integration of biomass gasification with iron‐based and calcium‐based chemical looping systems. The effects of important process parameters on the performance indicators such as hydrogen yield and efficiencies are evaluated by sensitivity analyses. These parameters include gasification temperature, molar ratios of steam to biomass in the gasifier, Fe2O3 to syngas in the fuel reactor, Fe/FeO to steam in the steam reactor, CaO to CO, and steam to CO in the carbonator. The energy and exergy balance distributions for the above three cases are comprehensively discussed and compared. Furthermore, techno‐economic assessments are performed to evaluate the three cases in terms of capital cost, operating cost, and leveled cost of energy.

On the use of different gasification agents in a biomass fueled SOFC by integrated gasifier: A comparative exergo-economic evaluation and optimization

Integration of biomass gasification with solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) offers an emerging alternative for future sustainable power generation. In the present paper a comparative exergoeconomic analysis of using steam and air as two different gasification agents is performed on an integrated biomass gasification-SOFC system. The system performance is optimized based on the net output power, exergy efficiency and the unit product cost of the system. A detailed thermodynamic equilibrium model for gasification process is developed and verified by reliable available data. A parametric study is conducted to examine the effects of key operating parameters on the net output power, exergy efficiency and unit product cost of the integrated system. The results indicate that, at the optimal operating conditions when steam is used instead of air as the agent, the net output power is increased by 14.8%, the exergy efficiency is increased by 24.9% and the unit product cost of the system is decreased by 8.9%.

Integration of biomass gasification with a solid oxide fuel cell in a combined cooling, heating and power system: A thermodynamic and environmental analysis

A biomass-fueled combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system is proposed and thermodynamically assessed. The system consists of a biomass gasifier (as the primary energy source), a solid oxide fuel cell (as the power generation unit), a double effect absorption refrigeration cycle (for cooling production) and a HRSG (for steam production for heating purposes). Taking into account the environmental considerations, energy and exergy analyses are conducted for the proposed system and its performance is compared with the corresponding power generation unit and the CHP system. Through a parametric study it is observed that the current density and fuel utilization factor play key roles on the system performance. In addition, considering the system as a combination of three subsystems, i.e. the SOFC, CHP system and CCHP system, an environmental impact assessment in terms of CO2 emission is conducted. Municipal solid waste is examined as biomass and it is observed that maximum exergy efficiency of the CCHP system is 37.92% with a CO2 emission of 20.37 t/MWh which shows an increase of 49.88% in exergy efficiency and 64.02% decrease in CO2 emission, compared to the solo SOFC system. It is concluded that the air heat exchanger and the gasifier are two major sources of irreversibility in the system and the exergy loss is considerable compared to after burners' exergy destruction.

Critical factors affecting the integration of biomass gasification and syngas fermentation technology

Gasification-fermentation is a thermochemical-biological platform for the production of fuels and chemicals. Biomass is gasified at high temperatures to make syngas, a gas composed of CO, CO2, H2, N2 and other minor components. Syngas is then fed to anaerobic microorganisms that convert CO, CO2 and H2 to alcohols by fermentation. This platform offers numerous advantages such as flexibility of feedstock and syngas composition and lower operating temperature and pressure compared to other catalytic syngas conversion processes. In comparison to hydrolysis-fermentation, gasification-fermentation has a major advantage of utilizing all organic components of biomass, including lignin, to yield higher fuel production. Furthermore, syngas fermentation microorganisms do not require strict CO:H2:CO2 ratios, hence gas reforming is not required. However, several issues must be addressed for successful deployment of gasification-fermentation, particularly those that involve the integration of gasification and fermentation. Most previous reviews have focused only on either biomass gasification or syngas fermentation. In this review, the critical factors that affect the integration of biomass gasification with syngas fermentation, such as carbon conversion efficiency, effect of trace gaseous species, H2 to CO ratio requirements, and microbial preference of carbon substrate, are thoroughly discussed.

Comparative exergoeconomic analyses of the integration of biomass gasification and a gas turbine power plant with and without fogging inlet cooling

Inlet cooling is effective for mitigating the decrease in gas turbine performance during hot and humid summer periods when electrical power demands peak, and steam injection, using steam raised from the turbine exhaust gases in a heat recovery steam generator, is an effective technique for utilizing the hot turbine exhaust gases. Biomass gasification can be integrated with a gas turbine cycle to provide efficient, clean power generation. In the present paper, a gas turbine cycle with fog cooling and steam injection, and integrated with biomass gasification, is proposed and analyzed with energy, exergy and exergoeconomic analyses. The thermodynamic analyses show that increasing the compressor pressure ratio and the gas turbine inlet temperature raises the energy and exergy efficiencies. On the component level, the gas turbine is determined to have the highest exergy efficiency and the combustor the lowest. The exergoeconomic analysis reveals that the proposed cycle has a lower total unit product cost than a similar plant fired by natural gas. However, the relative cost difference and exergoeconomic factor is higher for the proposed cycle than the natural gas fired plant, indicating that the proposed cycle is more costly for producing electricity despite its lower product cost and environmental impact.

Influence of dryer type on the performance of a biomass gasification combined cycle co-located with an integrated pulp and paper mill

Integration of biomass gasification with a pulp and paper mill is a possible route to create more value-added products. This route facilitates, for example, more advanced electricity generation and production of biomass based transportation fuels or chemical feedstock. Each unit operation in such a process affects overall efficiency as well as possibilities for process integration. In this paper, the impact of different dryer types in a biomass gasification combined cycle (BIGCC) has been evaluated in terms of efficiency and economic performance. The BIGCC was sized so that the excess heat would replace the current steam production from bark and oil. The results show that the dryer type can have a significant impact on economic performance and efficiencies. A BIGCC with an integrated belt dryer, utilizing excess heat to heat the drying air from the mill, can result in electrical efficiencies of up to around 40%, while e.g. a steam dryer can reach 36–37%. Choice of oxidant, air or oxygen, in the gasifier affects both capital and operational cost. Air was proven to be the most cost efficient solution for the cases evaluated in this study. The investment of around 100 to 140 million Euros for a BIGCC facility is profitable for most evaluated cases for an annuity factor of 0.1, while the net annual profit is negative for most cases when the annuity factor was increased to 0.2, even when including financial support for renewable electricity.

Electricity production by biomass steam gasification using a high efficiency technology and low environmental impact

The integration of biomass gasification and fuel cell represents in theory an energy effective solution for decentralised CHP production. At the ENEA Research Centre of Trisaia the direct coupling of an existing biomass gasification pilot plant to a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) with a capacity of 125kWe is in progress.Being pressurised at 3.5bar, MCFC shall be combined to a gas turbine in order to establish an efficient process scheme for its industrial scale application. Assuming an optimised gas composition, free of methane and other light hydrocarbons, an overall conversion efficiency minor to 40% is estimated via an appositely developed model based on thermodynamic models. Even this value is one-third higher with respect to conventional gasification for decentralised CHP production, the commercial perspective of the proposed technology still proves to be modest, unless remarkable improvements in stack conversion efficiency, durability and cost are achieved, as well as an impressive plant simplification.The main goal of the paper is the integration of a biomass steam gasification plant with a molten carbonate fuel cell with the advantage of a power production plant with a low CO2 emission compared with the traditional power generator fuelled by fossil.

Integration of biomass gasification with a Scandinavian mechanical pulp and paper mill – Consequences for mass and energy balances and global CO2 emissions

The Scandinavian mechanical pulp and paper industry has been facing great challenges during the past decades, mainly because of declining demand for newsprint, and higher prices on raw material and energy. One way of increasing profitability is to produce more value-added products besides the production of pulp and paper. In this study, integration potentials of three possible future biomass gasification-based energy mills with an existing thermo-mechanical pulp (TMP) mill, co-located with a sawmill, have been evaluated. The product gas was utilized for electricity production in a gas turbine, for production of methanol or for production of Fischer–Tropsch (FT) liquids. Integration of the energy mills showed good potential as the TMP mill constitutes a heat sink for which the excess heat from the energy mills can be utilized all year round. However, since there is little excess heat from the TMP mill at the required level to be utilized for biomass drying, for example, heat integration is typically one way. It has also been shown that integration of biomass gasification with a TMP mill results in larger CO2 emissions reduction than stand-alone operation. Still, compared to co-firing biomass in a coal power plant, the energy mills all have lower potentials for CO2 emissions reduction.

06/02316 Integration of biomass gasification with MCFC: Iaquaniello, G. and Mangiapane, A. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2006, 31 (31), 399–404.

06/02316 Integration of biomass gasification with MCFC: Iaquaniello, G. and Mangiapane, A. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2006, 31 (31), 399–404.