Experimental Results of Gasification of Raw Pine

Partial oxidation of carbonaceous fuels at high temperatures (gasification) is a process to produce alternative energy. On promising technique to produce alternative energy is Biomass gasification. The alternative energy facility of University of Louisiana at Lafayette in collaboration with Cleco Power LLC., has implemented a 3 ton/day bubbling fluidized bed gasification system to operate and collect data using both air and oxygen as oxidizing medium, and produce syngas to generate electricity.

The effect of gasification temperature, equivalence ratio (ER), and steam injection on syngas compositions, gasifier efficiency and tar composition were studied. We have demonstrated that pilot scale gasification of raw pine achieving around 8% of Hydrogen and 10% of Carbon monoxide in syngas sufficient for running 25 kW AC generator.  Raw pine wood was gasified with natural air with/without steam in a bubbling Fluidized Bed-Reactor (FBR) with crystalline silica quartz as catalyst at bed temperature of 1550°F. The equivalence ratio (ER) was maintained at 0.3 and material was feed at 120 lb/hr.  The syngas had a heating value (HHV) of 107.79 Btu/scf and gas yield 78scf/lb. Higher temperature increased Hydrogen & Carbon Monoxide production and carbon conversion. Tar must be removed to increase the life of the bag filter and heat exchanger tubes. Another challenge is that water accumulation in the system due to high moisture content in the raw pine chips. At present, gasification of torrefied pine is being evaluated to increase the heating value of the syngas. The efficiency of the combine torrefaction –gasification process of would depend on the yield of the torrefaction operation.