Aspen plus simulation and experimental studies on biomass gasification

Abstract

The biomass gasification has been carried out using a fluidized bed gasifier. This work focuses on the production of syngas from biomass (rice husk). ASPEN PLUS simulator and pilot plant gasifier were used to investigate the effect of reactor temperature, equivalence ratio and steam to biomass ratio on composition of product gas. Silica sand was used as bed material in the pilot plant gasifier. The gasifier was operated over a temperature range of 500-700 oC, while varying equivalence ratio from 0.2 to 0.36 and steam to biomass ratio from 0.5 to 1.5 and it was found that the most of trends were similar for both the case. The results showed hydrogen concentration in the product gas increases with increase in temperature and steam to biomass ratio but decreases with increasing equivalence ratio.