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Title: Steam-air blown bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasification (BFBBG): Multi-scale models and experimental validation

Abstract

During fluidized bed biomass gasification, complex gas-solid mixing patterns and numerous chemical and physical phenomena make identification of optimal operating conditions challenging. In this work, a parametric experimental campaign was carried out alongside the development of a coupled reactor network model which successfully integrates the individually validated sub-models to predict steady-state reactor performance metrics and outputs. The experiments utilized an integrated gasification system consisting of an externally-heated, bench-scale, 4-in., 5 kWth, fluidized bed steam/air blown gasifier fed with woody biomass equipped with a molecular beam mass spectrometer to directly measure tar species. The operating temperature (750-850°C) and air/fuel equivalence ratio (ER = 0-0.157) were independently varied to isolate their effects. Elevating temperature is shown to improve the char gasification rate and reduce tar concentrations. In conclusion, air strongly impacts the composition of tar, accelerating the conversion of lighter polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons into soot precursors, while also improving the overall carbon conversion.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  3. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); National Energy Technology Lab. (NETL), Morgantown, WV (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)
OSTI Identifier:
1364050
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5100-68690
Journal ID: ISSN 0001-1541
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
AIChE Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 63; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0001-1541
Publisher:
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
09 BIOMASS FUELS; combustion; biofuels and fuel mixes; fluidization; multi-scale modeling; coal; gasification; desulfurization

Citation Formats

Bates, Richard B., Ghoniem, Ahmed F., Jablonski, Whitney S., Carpenter, Daniel L., Altantzis, Christos, Garg, Aaron, Barton, John L., Chen, Ran, and Field, Randall P. Steam-air blown bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasification (BFBBG): Multi-scale models and experimental validation. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1002/aic.15666.
Bates, Richard B., Ghoniem, Ahmed F., Jablonski, Whitney S., Carpenter, Daniel L., Altantzis, Christos, Garg, Aaron, Barton, John L., Chen, Ran, & Field, Randall P. Steam-air blown bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasification (BFBBG): Multi-scale models and experimental validation. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.15666
Bates, Richard B., Ghoniem, Ahmed F., Jablonski, Whitney S., Carpenter, Daniel L., Altantzis, Christos, Garg, Aaron, Barton, John L., Chen, Ran, and Field, Randall P. Thu . "Steam-air blown bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasification (BFBBG): Multi-scale models and experimental validation". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/aic.15666. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1364050.
@article{osti_1364050,
title = {Steam-air blown bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasification (BFBBG): Multi-scale models and experimental validation},
author = {Bates, Richard B. and Ghoniem, Ahmed F. and Jablonski, Whitney S. and Carpenter, Daniel L. and Altantzis, Christos and Garg, Aaron and Barton, John L. and Chen, Ran and Field, Randall P.},
abstractNote = {During fluidized bed biomass gasification, complex gas-solid mixing patterns and numerous chemical and physical phenomena make identification of optimal operating conditions challenging. In this work, a parametric experimental campaign was carried out alongside the development of a coupled reactor network model which successfully integrates the individually validated sub-models to predict steady-state reactor performance metrics and outputs. The experiments utilized an integrated gasification system consisting of an externally-heated, bench-scale, 4-in., 5 kWth, fluidized bed steam/air blown gasifier fed with woody biomass equipped with a molecular beam mass spectrometer to directly measure tar species. The operating temperature (750-850°C) and air/fuel equivalence ratio (ER = 0-0.157) were independently varied to isolate their effects. Elevating temperature is shown to improve the char gasification rate and reduce tar concentrations. In conclusion, air strongly impacts the composition of tar, accelerating the conversion of lighter polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons into soot precursors, while also improving the overall carbon conversion.},
doi = {10.1002/aic.15666},
journal = {AIChE Journal},
number = 5,
volume = 63,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Feb 02 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Thu Feb 02 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Bubbling fluidized bed methanation study with resolving the mesoscale structure effects
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