Topic

Biomass gasification on small and medium scale (30-500 kWel) will play a crucial role to stabilize a future electricity supply dominated by fluctuating energy sources like solar and wind energy. Beside high quality wood fuels which are currently the predominant fuel for gasification plant operation, biogenic residues such as straw will be increasingly used. However, extensive optimizations of small-scale biomass gasification plants in the area of fuel flexibility is required to spur this development and to improve plant profitability. Fuel specific key figures on the gasification process, are an important tool in this context.

Aims

Fuel specific key figures describing the gasification process and the ash transformation behaviour will be derived from gasification tests in a fixed bed laboratory gasifier at the DBFZ employing raw and pretreated wood and straw (torrified, washed, mixed with additives).

Measures

DBFZ – Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH

Gasification tests will be performed in a fixed bed laboratory gasifier at the DBFZ employing raw and pretreated wood and straw (torrified, washed, mixed with additives). The "Design of Experiments" program is used in both the test planning and evaluation. Both product gas composition (permanent gases and tars) as well as solid gasification residues (char, ash) will be analysed. The experimental results will be used to derive fuel specific key figures for the gasification process. Ash transformation processes will be investigated using thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using the FACTSAGE software and validated by lab scale tests in an inert muffle furnace.

Focus

DBFZ – Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum gemeinnützige GmbH

curpuretor tests, ash analysis, thermodynamical balance calculation (FACTSAGE)