title: Co-gasification of biomass and plastics: pyrolysis kinetics studies, experiments on 100 kW dual fluidized bed pilot plant and development of thermodynamic equilibrium model and balances.
abstract: Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) of volatilization reaction kinetics for 50 wt.% mixtures of plastics (PE) and biomass (wood pellets) as well as for 100 wt.% plastics was conducted to predict decomposition times at 850°C and 900°C using iso-conversional model method. For mixtures, agreement with residence time of dual fluidized bed (DFB) reactor, treated as continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR), was obtained at large conversions. Mono-gasification of plastics and its co-gasification with biomass were performed in DFB pilot plant, using olivine as heterogeneous catalyst and heat transfer agent. It was found that co-gasification led to successful thermochemical conversion of plastics as opposed to mono-gasification. Unknown flow rates were determined applying nonlinear regression to energy and mass balances acknowledging combustion fuel, air, steam, feedstock, but also exiting char, tar, steam and other components in DFB gasification unit. Water-gas shift equilibrium and methanol synthesis requirements were incorporated into gasification model, based on measurements.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: miha.narobe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narobe
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: janvit.golob@fkkt.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golob
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. Electronic address: dusan.klinar@bistra.si.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klinar
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: vojmir.francetic@fkkt.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Francetič
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Laboratory of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova ulica 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: blaz.likozar@ki.si.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Likozar
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D012212:Rheology; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013818:Thermogravimetry
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D010969:Plastics
keywords: Biomass and plastics; Co-gasification; Fluidized bed reactor; Methanol synthesis; Modeling