Numerical Modelling of Wood Gasification in Thermal Plasma Reactor

0476112 - ÚFP 2018 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Hirka, Ivan - Živný, Oldřich - Hrabovský, Milan
Numerical Modelling of Wood Gasification in Thermal Plasma Reactor.
Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing. Roč. 37, č. 4 (2017), s. 947-965. ISSN 0272-4324. E-ISSN 1572-8986
Institutional support: RVO:61389021
Keywords : Plasma modelling * CFD * Thermal plasma reactor * Biomass * Gasification * Syngas
OECD category: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics)
Impact factor: 2.658, year: 2017
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11090-017-9812-z

Biomass gasification for synthesis gas production represents a promising source of energy based on plasma treatment of renewable fuel resources. Gasification/pyrolysis of crushed wood as a model substance of biomass has been experimentally carried out in the plasma-chemical reactor equipped with gas–water stabilized torch which offer advantage
of low plasma mass-flow, high enthalpy and temperature making it possible to attain an optimal conversion ratio with respect to synthesis gas production in comparison with other types of plasma torches. To investigate this process of gasification in detail with possible impact on performance, a numerical model has been created using ANSYS FLUENT program package. The aim of the work presented is to create a parametric study of biomass gasification based on various diameters of wooden particles. Results for molar fractions of CO for three different particles diameters obtained by the modeling (0.55, 0.52 and 0.48) at the exit are relatively good approximation to the corresponding experimental value (0.60). The numerical results reveal that the efficiency of gasification and syngas production slightly decreases with increasing diameter of the particles. Computed temperature inhomogeneities in the volume of the reactor are strongest for the largest particle diameter and
decrease with decreasing size of the particles.

Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0272669