(226c) Industrial Application of Cpfd to Biomass Gasification

The SilvaGas Biomass Gasification Process is a commercially proven, two vessel system to pyrolyze biomass into a medium BTU fuel gas. It uses a recirculating sand system to heat and pyrolyze the biomass in a gasifier at up to 1500 0F, making a 450 BTU/cu. Ft gas substitute for natural gas, which when cleaned can be used directly in gas turbines.

The SilvaGas process was demonstrated at a 400+ tons per day commercial level in 2001, with a 735 dry tons per day(DTPD) plant currently undergoing construction at the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee, Florida. It is the biomass gasifier being used in a zero carbon footprint, combined cycle 45 MW powerplant complex using gas and steam turbines, and producing hydrogen for an FSU research facility, while powering the campus autos on hydrogen, and simultaneously providing all the ?green? electrical power for the Florida State Government offices in Tallahassee. Startup is planned for 2010.

Three other 700 DTPD plants are currently in various stages of design.

The Barracuda CPFD software has been used to model and help design all the major equipment in the SilvaGas process. The presentation reviews the Barracuda computer models developed for the gasifier, the combustor, cyclones and seal pots, and the discoveries made using the CPFD software, particularly as they apply to dynamic operations, engineering design and operator training.