Numerical simulation of biomass gasification in a fluidized bed

Abstract

Based on Euler multiphase flow models and self-developed chemical reaction models, the dynamical model of biomass gasification in a fluidized bed was set up, with which numerical simulation was carried out to biomass gasification in a lab-scale biomass fluidized bed, so as to study the effect of mass ratio of steam and biomass (ms/mB) and biomass particle size on the gas composition and steam decomposition rate. Results show that with the rise of ms/mB, the volume fraction of H2 rises firstly and then remains unchanged, and that of CO and CH4 decreases firstly and then gets stable, while the steam decomposition rate drops gradually. The reduction of biomass particle size is in favor of the gasification process, which makes the volume fraction of CO and H2 rise. Simulation results basically agree with that of experiments, indicating that the dynamical model based on Euler multiphase flow can be used to simulate the biomass gasification in fluidized bed.