Atmospheric fluidised bed gasfication of promising biomass fuels in Southern Europena regions

Abstract

Three promising biomass fuels from southern European regions were gasified atmospherically with air in a lab-scale fluidised bed reactor with quartz or olivine as bed material. The fuels used were an agro-industrial residue (olive bagasse) and the energy crops giant reed and sweet sorghum bagasse. Varying air ratios and temperatures were tested to study the impact on the product gas composition and tar load. Tars were higher in the case of olive bagasse, attributed to its higher lignin content compared to the other two biomasses with higher cellulose. Giant reed gasification causes agglomeration and defluidisation problems at 790 °C while olive bagasse shows the least agglomeration tendency. The particular olivine material promoted the destruction of tars, but to a lesser level than other reported works; this was attributed to its limited iron content. It also promoted the H2 and CO2 production while CO content de creased. Meth ane yield was slightly affected (decreased) with olivine, higher tem per a tures, and air ratios. Air ratio increase decreased the tar load but at the same time the gas quality deteriorated.