IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v14y2021i14p4226-d593603.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Phenomenological Model of a Downdraft Biomass Gasifier Flexible to the Feedstock Composition and the Reactor Design

Author

Listed:
  • Michela Costa

    (Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Energia e la Mobilità Sostenibili Motori, CNR, Viale Marconi, 4, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Maurizio La Villetta

    (Research & Development Department, Costruzioni Motori Diesel S.p.A., Via Pacinotti, 2, 81020 San Nicola La Strada, Italy)

  • Daniele Piazzullo

    (Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie per l’Energia e la Mobilità Sostenibili Motori, CNR, Viale Marconi, 4, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Domenico Cirillo

    (Research & Development Department, Costruzioni Motori Diesel S.p.A., Via Pacinotti, 2, 81020 San Nicola La Strada, Italy)

Abstract

The development of a one-dimensional (1D) phenomenological model for biomass gasification in downdraft reactors is presented in this study; the model was developed with the aim of highlighting the main advantages and limits related to feedstocks that are different from woodchip, such as hydro-char derived from the hydrothermal carbonization of green waste, or a mix of olive pomace and sawdust. An experimental validation of the model is performed. The numerically evaluated temperature evolution along the reactor gasifier is found to be in agreement with locally measured values for all the considered biomasses. The model captures the pressure drop along the reactor axis, despite an underestimation with respect to the performed measurements. The producer gas composition resulting from the numerical model at the exit section is in quite good agreement with gas-chromatograph analyses (12% maximum error for CO and CO 2 species), although the model predicts lower methane and hydrogen content in the syngas than the measurements show. Parametric analyses highlight that lower degrees of porosity enhance the pressure drop along the reactor axis, moving the zones characterized by the occurrence of the combustion and gasification phases towards the bottom. An increase in the biomass moisture content is associated with a delayed evolution of the temperature profile. The high energy expenditure in the evaporation phase occurs at the expense of the produced hydrogen and methane in the subsequent phases.

Suggested Citation

  • Michela Costa & Maurizio La Villetta & Daniele Piazzullo & Domenico Cirillo, 2021. "A Phenomenological Model of a Downdraft Biomass Gasifier Flexible to the Feedstock Composition and the Reactor Design," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-29, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:14:p:4226-:d:593603
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4226/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/14/4226/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Umeki, Kentaro & Namioka, Tomoaki & Yoshikawa, Kunio, 2012. "Analysis of an updraft biomass gasifier with high temperature steam using a numerical model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 38-45.
    2. Font Palma, Carolina, 2013. "Modelling of tar formation and evolution for biomass gasification: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 129-141.
    3. Patra, Tapas Kumar & Nimisha, K.R. & Sheth, Pratik N., 2016. "A comprehensive dynamic model for downdraft gasifier using heat and mass transport coupled with reaction kinetics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(P1), pages 1230-1242.
    4. La Villetta, M. & Costa, M. & Massarotti, N., 2017. "Modelling approaches to biomass gasification: A review with emphasis on the stoichiometric method," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 71-88.
    5. Adeyemi, Idowu & Janajreh, Isam & Arink, Thomas & Ghenai, Chaouki, 2017. "Gasification behavior of coal and woody biomass: Validation and parametrical study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1007-1018.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Michael Binns & Hafiz Muhammad Uzair Ayub, 2021. "Model Reduction Applied to Empirical Models for Biomass Gasification in Downdraft Gasifiers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Michela Costa & Daniele Piazzullo, 2024. "The Effects of Syngas Composition on Engine Thermal Balance in a Biomass Powered CHP Unit: A 3D CFD Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Giulio Allesina & Simone Pedrazzi, 2021. "Barriers to Success: A Technical Review on the Limits and Possible Future Roles of Small Scale Gasifiers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Marco Mancini & Andreas Schwabauer, 2023. "On the Thermal Stability of a Counter-Current Fixed-Bed Gasifier," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-36, April.
    5. Marcin Dębowski & Magda Dudek & Marcin Zieliński & Anna Nowicka & Joanna Kazimierowicz, 2021. "Microalgal Hydrogen Production in Relation to Other Biomass-Based Technologies—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-27, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ferreiro, A.I. & Segurado, R. & Costa, M., 2020. "Modelling soot formation during biomass gasification," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    2. Ramos, Ana & Monteiro, Eliseu & Rouboa, Abel, 2019. "Numerical approaches and comprehensive models for gasification process: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 188-206.
    3. Ruivo, Luís & Silva, Tiago & Neves, Daniel & Tarelho, Luís & Frade, Jorge, 2023. "Thermodynamic guidelines for improved operation of iron-based catalysts in gasification of biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    4. Vera Marcantonio & Luisa Di Paola & Marcello De Falco & Mauro Capocelli, 2023. "Modeling of Biomass Gasification: From Thermodynamics to Process Simulations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-30, October.
    5. Elsner, Witold & Wysocki, Marian & Niegodajew, Paweł & Borecki, Roman, 2017. "Experimental and economic study of small-scale CHP installation equipped with downdraft gasifier and internal combustion engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 213-227.
    6. Lu, Ding & Yoshikawa, Kunio & Ismail, Tamer M. & Abd El-Salam, M., 2018. "Assessment of the carbonized woody briquette gasification in an updraft fixed bed gasifier using the Euler-Euler model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 70-86.
    7. Wang, Yinglong & Li, Guoxuan & Liu, Zhiqiang & Cui, Peizhe & Zhu, Zhaoyou & Yang, Sheng, 2019. "Techno-economic analysis of biomass-to-hydrogen process in comparison with coal-to-hydrogen process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1063-1075.
    8. Hung-Ta Wen & Jau-Huai Lu & Mai-Xuan Phuc, 2021. "Applying Artificial Intelligence to Predict the Composition of Syngas Using Rice Husks: A Comparison of Artificial Neural Networks and Gradient Boosting Regression," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    9. Shirzad, Mohammad & Kazemi Shariat Panahi, Hamed & Dashti, Behrouz B. & Rajaeifar, Mohammad Ali & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2019. "A comprehensive review on electricity generation and GHG emission reduction potentials through anaerobic digestion of agricultural and livestock/slaughterhouse wastes in Iran," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 571-594.
    10. Ahmed, A.M.A & Salmiaton, A. & Choong, T.S.Y & Wan Azlina, W.A.K.G., 2015. "Review of kinetic and equilibrium concepts for biomass tar modeling by using Aspen Plus," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1623-1644.
    11. Wang, Linzheng & Zhang, Ruizhi & Deng, Ruiqu & Liu, Zeqing & Luo, Yonghao, 2023. "Comprehensive parametric study of fixed-bed co-gasification process through Multiple Thermally Thick Particle (MTTP) model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    12. Neves, Daniel & Thunman, Henrik & Tarelho, Luís & Larsson, Anton & Seemann, Martin & Matos, Arlindo, 2014. "Method for online measurement of the CHON composition of raw gas from biomass gasifier," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 932-945.
    13. Sérgio Ferreira & Eliseu Monteiro & Luís Calado & Valter Silva & Paulo Brito & Cândida Vilarinho, 2019. "Experimental and Modeling Analysis of Brewers´ Spent Grains Gasification in a Downdraft Reactor," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-18, November.
    14. Kuo, Po-Chih & Illathukandy, Biju & Wu, Wei & Chang, Jo-Shu, 2021. "Energy, exergy, and environmental analyses of renewable hydrogen production through plasma gasification of microalgal biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    15. Monteiro, Eliseu & Ismail, Tamer M. & Ramos, Ana & Abd El-Salam, M. & Brito, Paulo & Rouboa, Abel, 2018. "Experimental and modeling studies of Portuguese peach stone gasification on an autothermal bubbling fluidized bed pilot plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 862-877.
    16. Vakalis, Stergios & Moustakas, Konstantinos, 2019. "Modelling of advanced gasification systems (MAGSY): Simulation and validation for the case of the rising co-current reactor," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 526-533.
    17. Buentello-Montoya, David & Zhang, Xiaolei & Li, Jun & Ranade, Vivek & Marques, Simão & Geron, Marco, 2020. "Performance of biochar as a catalyst for tar steam reforming: Effect of the porous structure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    18. Andrea Porcu & Stefano Sollai & Davide Marotto & Mauro Mureddu & Francesca Ferrara & Alberto Pettinau, 2019. "Techno-Economic Analysis of a Small-Scale Biomass-to-Energy BFB Gasification-Based System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, February.
    19. Wang, Chao & Zhu, Lianfeng & Zhang, Mengjuan & Han, Zhennan & Jia, Xin & Bai, Dingrong & Duo, Wenli & Bi, Xiaotao & Abudula, Abuliti & Guan, Guoqing & Xu, Guangwen, 2022. "A two-stage circulated fluidized bed process to minimize tar generation of biomass gasification for fuel gas production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 323(C).
    20. Ravenni, Giulia & Sárossy, Zsuzsa & Ahrenfeldt, Jesper & Henriksen, Ulrik Birk, 2018. "Activity of chars and activated carbons for removal and decomposition of tar model compounds – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 1044-1056.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:14:p:4226-:d:593603. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.