Title: Preliminary studies of lignocellulosics and waste fuels for fixed bed gasification

Authors: Hayati Olgun, Murat Dogru, Colin R. Howarth, Abdullah A. Malik

Addresses: Marmara Research Center, Energy Systems and Environmental Research, Institute, PO Box 21, 41460 Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey. Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of, Newcastle, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, UK. Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of, Newcastle, Newcastle, NE1 7RU, UK. Department of Chemical & Life Science, University of Northumbria, Newcastle, NE1 8ST

Abstract: This study was carried out to understand the decomposition behaviour of a range of biofuel and waste feedstock during gasification in a downdraft gasifier. A laboratory scale large sample thermogravimetric analyser (LSTA) is used which allows the data on burn-out characteristics of different fuel particles to be measured under agitated conditions. The conditions chosen simulate the combustion behaviour in a gasifier for a range of biofuels and wastes, namely hazelnut, pistachio, and peanut shells, wood chips and sewage sludge pellets. From this data the activation energy is calculated for a heating rate of 20°C/min. It was found that, as the weight loss increases, the activation energy decreases. In addition, the influence of a range of gasification air/N ₂ levels on constituents of the gas released during hazelnut shell decomposition was observed. It was found that the composition of the product gases consisted of CH₄, H₂, CO, CO₂, C₂H ₄, C₂H₆. This was analysed as function of time for hazelnut shells showing that the primary products are H₂, CO, CH₄ and CO₂.

Keywords: gasification; lignocellulosic; bio-waste; thermochemical; pyrolysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2001.000900

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2001 Vol.15 No.3/4, pp.264-280

Published online: 18 Aug 2003 *

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