Biomass gasification in fluidized beds: A review of biomass moisture content and operating pressure effects

Author(s)

Motta, Ingrid Lopes ^[1] ; Miranda, Nahieh Toscano ^[1] ; Maciel Filho, Rubens ^[1] ; Wolf Maciel, Maria Regina ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Chem Engn, Lab Optimizat Design & Adv Control, Av Albert Einstein 500, BR-13083852 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS; v. 94, p. 998-1023, OCT 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 18

Abstract

The global dependence on fossil reserves as well as the environmental aspects related to them are some of the factors that propel research on renewable energy forms. Gasification, a thermochemical process that converts carbonaceous resources into syngas, is an advantageous alternative due to its relatively low costs, high efficiencies, and syngas' wide variety of applications. Although gasification is a very promising heat, power, and fuel production technique, there is still a field of improvement in gasification in fluidized beds when it comes to operation under high pressure and with feedstocks containing moderate or high moisture contents. Thus, to provide enough information to address such questions, the present work aims at bringing an overview of gasification concepts, as well as an in-depth discussion based on simulation, laboratory- and demonstration-scale works of the effects of biomass water content and pressure on different parameters of several fluidized bed gasifiers. Moreover, diverse strategies for handling high-moisture content biomass materials are presented, as well as the achievements and technical difficulties encountered by worldwide development and demonstration plant projects that designed and used pressurized fluidized-bed gasifiers. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/18546-8 - Study of operating conditions for production of bio-oil and biochar from sugarcane bagasse through simulation and application in pilot plant
• Grantee: Nahieh Toscano Miranda
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 15/20630-4 - Biorefinery development integrated to a bioethanol sugar cane plant with zero CO2 emission: routes to convert renewable resources to bio-products and bio-electricity
• Grantee: Rubens Maciel Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants