TY - JOUR
T1 - Gasification performance of switchgrass pretreated with torrefaction and densification
AU - Sarkar, Madhura
AU - Kumar, Ajay
AU - Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar
AU - Patil, Krushna N.
AU - Bellmer, Danielle D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was funded by the South Central Sun Grant Center. The authors appreciate assistance from Mr. Wayne Kiner and his group, for their help in building the reactor. Authors would like to thank Micheal C. Clark and Craig C. Conner of Idaho National Laboratory for supporting the torrefaction and pelleting work.
PY - 2014/8/15
Y1 - 2014/8/15
N2 - The purpose of this study was to investigate gasification performance of four switchgrass pretreatments (torrefaction at 230 and 270°C, densification, and combined torrefaction and densification) and three gasification temperatures (700, 800 and 900°C). Gasification was performed in a fixed-bed externally heated reactor with air as an oxidizing agent. Switchgrass pretreatment and gasification temperature had significant effects on gasification performance such as gas yields, syngas lower heating value (LHV), and carbon conversion and cold gas efficiencies. With an increase in the gasification temperature, yields of H2 and CO, syngas LHV, and gasifier efficiencies increased whereas CH4, CO2 and N2 yields decreased. Among all switchgrass pretreatments, gasification performance of switchgrass with combined torrefaction and densification was the best followed by that of densified, raw and torrefied switchgrass. Gasification of combined torrefied and densified switchgrass resulted in the highest yields of H2 (0.03kg/kg biomass) and CO (0.72kg/kg biomass), highest syngas LHV (5.08MJm-3), CCE (92.53%), and CGE (68.40%) at the gasification temperature of 900°C.
AB - The purpose of this study was to investigate gasification performance of four switchgrass pretreatments (torrefaction at 230 and 270°C, densification, and combined torrefaction and densification) and three gasification temperatures (700, 800 and 900°C). Gasification was performed in a fixed-bed externally heated reactor with air as an oxidizing agent. Switchgrass pretreatment and gasification temperature had significant effects on gasification performance such as gas yields, syngas lower heating value (LHV), and carbon conversion and cold gas efficiencies. With an increase in the gasification temperature, yields of H2 and CO, syngas LHV, and gasifier efficiencies increased whereas CH4, CO2 and N2 yields decreased. Among all switchgrass pretreatments, gasification performance of switchgrass with combined torrefaction and densification was the best followed by that of densified, raw and torrefied switchgrass. Gasification of combined torrefied and densified switchgrass resulted in the highest yields of H2 (0.03kg/kg biomass) and CO (0.72kg/kg biomass), highest syngas LHV (5.08MJm-3), CCE (92.53%), and CGE (68.40%) at the gasification temperature of 900°C.
KW - Biofuels
KW - Densification
KW - Efficiency
KW - Gasification
KW - Switchgrass
KW - Torrefaction
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84899847286
U2 - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.04.027
DO - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.04.027
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84899847286
SN - 0306-2619
VL - 127
SP - 194
EP - 201
JO - Applied Energy
JF - Applied Energy
ER -