title: Gasification of pelletized biomass in a pilot scale downdraft gasifier.
abstract: This work presents a pilot-scale investigation aimed at assessing the feasibility and reliability of biomass pellet gasification. Wood sawdust and sunflower seeds pellets were tested in a 200 kW downdraft gasifier operating with air as gasifying agent. The gasification of pelletized biomass led to rather high and unstable pressure drops, reducing the gasifier productivity and stability. Furthermore the generation of fine residues compromised the operation of wet ash removal systems. On the other hand, good syngas compositions (H(2) 17.2%, N(2) 46.0%, CH(4) 2.5%, CO 21.2%, CO(2) 12.6%, and C(2)H(4) 0.4%), specific gas production (2.2-2.4 N m(3) kg(-1)) and cold gas efficiency (67.7-70.0%) were achieved. For these reasons pelletized biomass should be considered only as complementary fuel in co-gasification with other feedstock.
authors.affiliation: Università di Pisa, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Chimica Industriale e Scienza dei Materiali, Largo Lucio Lazzarino, 2 56126 Pisa, Italy. marco.simone@diccism.unipi.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simone
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barontini
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nicolella
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tognotti
mesh_terms: D000392:Air Movements; D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004602:Elements; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011312:Pressure; D012212:Rheology; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D004602:Elements; D005740:Gases; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D052638:Particulate Matter