Performance optimization of two-staged gasification system for woody biomass

The performance of a small-scale two-staged gasification system is reported. In this system wood chips are gasified with a fixed bed gasifier and then tar in the produced gas is reformed in a non-catalytic reformer, finally the production gas is used to generate electricity. In this system, the gasifying agents are high temperature air and steam supplied into the gasifier and the reformer. This paper reports on optimum gasification air ratio (defined as the ratio of the oxygen mole supplied into the gasifier to the oxygen mole required for complete combustion of biomass), reforming air ratio (defined as the ratio of the oxygen mole supplied in the reformer to the oxygen mole required for the complete combustion of biomass) and steam ratio (defined as the ratio of the steam mole supplied into the gasifier to the carbon mole in biomass supplied into the gasifier) for producing required gas supplied into a dual-fueled diesel engine. The results showed that, under optimum conditions, the higher heating value of the reformed gas was 3.9 MJ/m3N; the cold gas efficiency (defined as the ratio of HHV reformed gas × reformed gas flow rate to HHV biomass × biomass feed rate) of the gasification system was 66%, and the gross thermal efficiency of the overall system was 27%.