Biomass Gasification

BIOMASS

Biomass is defined as the fuel made from organic matter or wastes of living organisms
that can be used as renewable sources of energy.Biomass contains energy first derived
from the sun: Plants absorb the sun’s energy through photosynthesis, and convert carbon
dioxide and water into nutrients (carbohydrates).The energy from these organisms can
be transformed into usable energy through direct and indirect means. Biomass can be
burned to create heat (direct), converted into electricity (direct), or processed into biofuel
(indirect).

THERMAL CONVERSION

Biomass can be burned by thermal conversion and used for energy. Thermal conversion
involves heating the biomass feedstock in order to burn, dehydrate, or stabilize it. The
most familiar biomass feedstocks for thermal conversion are raw materials such as
municipal solid waste (MSW) and scraps from paper or lumber mills. Different types of
energy are created through one or more of the following processes:

1. Torrefaction
2. Direct firing
3. Co-firing
4. Pyrolysis
5. Gasification
6. Anaerobic decomposition

GASIFICATION

Biomass gasification is a mature technology pathway that uses a controlled process

involving heat, steam, and oxygen to convert biomass to hydrogen and other products,
without combustion.

Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil-based carbonaceous

materials at high temperatures (>700°C), without combustion, with a controlled amount
of oxygen and/or steam into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. The
carbon monoxide then reacts with water to form carbon dioxide and more hydrogen via
a water-gas shift reaction. Adsorbers or special membranes can separate the hydrogen
from this gas stream.

Simplified example reaction

C6H12O6 + O2 + H2O → CO + CO2 + H2 + other species

Water-gas shift reaction

CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 (+ small amount of heat)

The gasification process of biomass is carried out in four basic steps

➢ Heating and drying: in this first step the temperature reaches about 300°C
and the feed is completely dried. The greater the moisture amount, the higher
the energy needed for drying, with a lower produced gases enthalpy. For this
reason, a naturally dry (or previously dried) biomass is desirable. During the
heating there is a typical heat transfer phenomenon, with a temperature
profile decreasing towards the particle center: the greater the radius, the
longer the time required for the treatment.
➢ Pyrolysis: in this second step, a rapid thermal anoxic degradation of the
carbonaceous material takes place. The ideal temperature for this purpose is
between 400 and 500°C.
○ Released products:
■ Gases: H2, CO, CH4, CO2 and some other light hydrocarbons.
■ Vapors: The exposure to high temperatures lead to a thermal
cracking process generating light and condensable compounds
(TAR, Topping Atmospheric Residue) consisting essentially in
polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
■ Solids: residual porous called CHAR consisting in a carbon
residue and inorganic compounds (ash).
➢ Gas-Solid Reactions: reactions occurring between CHAR and the added
 gasifying agent (oxygen, steam, or both). Exothermic reactions, with negative
, help to provide energy for the endothermic processes such as drying and
pyrolysis.

➢ Gas-phase Reactions: there are two main gas-phase reactions, respectively,

water gas shift and methanation, for the synthetic natural gas production.

Process of Thermal gasification