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Design and development of a laboratory scale biomass gasifier

Article  in  Journal of Power and Energy Engineering · August 2010

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August 2010, Volume 4, No.8 (Serial No.33)
Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, ISSN 1934-8975, USA

Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass

Gasifier

S.J. Ojolo1 and J.I. Orisaleye2

1. Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Lagos, Lagos 101017 Nigeria
2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Lagos State University, Lagos 101017 Nigeria

Received: February 10, 2010 / Accepted: March 24, 2010 / Published: August 31, 2010.

Abstract: A laboratory scale downdraft biomass gasifier was designed to deliver a mechanical power of 4 kW and thermal power of
about 15 kW. The gasifier was manufactured as a single piece having a water seal and cover. The gasifier was tested in natural
downdraft and forced downdraft mode. Ignition of the fuel beneath the grate, during natural downdraft mode, using wood shavings as
fuel, produced gas which burned with a blue flame for 15 minutes. Ignition at the throat, using either palm kernel shells or wood
shavings, during the natural downdraft mode, the gasifier did not produce syngas. During the forced downdraft mode, fuel was ignited
at the throat. Gasification was successful with the palm kernel shells, during forced downdraft, which produced gas which burned
steadily with luminous flame for 15 minutes per kilogram of biomass fed. However, wood shavings experienced some bridging
problems during the forced downdraft mode of operation. The fuel conversion rate of the gasifier, when using palm kernel shells as fuel
in forced downdraft mode, was 4 kg/h. Forced downdraft mode of operation yielded better results and is the preferred operation of the
gasifier.

Key words: Biomass, gasifier, design, downdraft, energy.

1. Introduction segment of the bioenergy sector, representing a full 99

percent of biofuels [4, 5].
Agriculture and energy have always been tied by
Gasification means the transformation of solid fuels
close links, but the nature and strength of the relation-
into combustible gases in presence of an oxygen carrier
ship have changed over time [1, 2]. The linkages
(air, O2, H2O, CO2) at high temperatures. It is a process
between agriculture and energy output markets weak-
for converting carbonaceous materials to a combustible
ened in the twentieth century as fossil fuels gained
or synthetic gas like biomethane or producer gas [6].
prominence in the transport sector. The use of rene-
Biomethane can be used like any other fuel, such as
wable resources would contribute to a country’s
natural gas, which is not renewable [7]. The
economic growth, especially in developing countries,
gasification process occurs at temperatures between
many of which have abundant biomass and agricultural
600-1,000 degrees Celsius and decomposes the
resources that provide the potential for achieving
complex hydrocarbons of wood [8]. The gasification
self-sufficiency in materials [3]. In most African
process, with high temperature, produces ash and char,
countries, biomass continues to be the main energy
tars, methane, charcoal and other hydrocarbons. The
source for subsistence activities such as cooking,
corrosive ash elements such as chloride and potassium
heating and lighting. Solid biofuels such as fuel wood,
are removed, allowing clean gas production from
charcoal and animal dung constitute by far the largest
otherwise problematic fuels [9]. Conversion of solid
Corresponding author: S.J. Ojolo, senior lecturer, research biomass into combustible gas has all the advantages
fields: design and manufacturing, renewable energy. associated with using gaseous and liquid fuels. Such
E-mail:[email protected].
 Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass Gasifier 17

advantages include clean combustion, compact burning –242 MJ/kmol

equipment, high thermal efficiency and a good degree The pyrolysis reactions involve the cracking of the
of control. Biomass is also economic in places where heavier biomass molecules into lighter organic
biomass is already available at reasonable low prices or molecules and carbon monoxide:
industries using fuel wood [6].
Biomass gasifiers are reactors that heat biomass to
produce a fuel gas that contains from one-fifth to one The reduction/gasification reactions involve, mainly,
half (depending on the process conditions) the heat the gasification of tar, depending on the technology
content of natural gas. A biomass gasifier converts used. They include:
solid fuel such as wood waste, saw-dust briquettes and The Boudouard reaction:
agro-residues converted into briquettes into a gaseous
The water gas reactions:
fuel through a thermo-chemical process and the resul-
tant gas can be used for heat and power generation
applications [10, 11]. Biomass gasifiers have been
classified based on their operation principles such as Methane synthesis reactions:
gasification and product temperature, oxygen require-
ments, product gas composition amongst others. The
major types of gasifiers are updraught or counter 3. Design of the Gasifier/Reactor
current gasifier, downdraft or co-current gasifiers,
cross-draft gasifier and fluidized bed gasifier [12]. The A laboratory scale biomass gasifier is for a micro
throated downdraft gasifier is suitable for biomass scale application which is to produce mechanical
gasification, has a low tar yield, high carbon conver- power of about 1 to 7 kW. A mechanical power of 4
sion, low ash carry over and simple construction and kW is assumed and the design of the gasifier is based
operation. However, it has a high gas exit temperature, on this. The design of the reactor is basically empirical,
requires uniformly sized feed stock and limited that is, implied from charts based on past experiences.
moisture content of feed.
3.1 Power Consumption of the Gasifier
This work presents the design of a laboratory scale
biomass downdraft gasifier. For an engine with a compression ratio of 9.5:1, the
effeciency has been estimated to be 28 per cent [12].
2. Theory of Gasification
Therefore, the thermal power in the gas can be
The substance of a solid fuel is usually composed of estimated as
the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. In addition,
there may be nitrogen and sulphur present in small
quantities. Biomass gasification in air can be expressed
in three stages which are oxidation or combustion,
pyrolysis and reduction or gasification [12]. If the thermal effeciency of the gasifier is taken at 70
Combustion/oxidation reactions provide the heat per cent, the thermal power consumption at full load
energy required to drive the pyrolysis and char can be estimated as
gasification reactions:
–111 MJ/kmol
–283 MJ/kmol
18 Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass Gasifier

3.2 Biomass Consumption of the Gasifier

A heating value of biomass with 14% moisture

content is taken to be 17,000 kJ/kg, according to Ref. Sivakumar et al. [17] discovered from their model
[12]. The biomass consumption of a gasifier can be that for throat angles of about 45°, the cumulative
conversion effeciency is increased while larger angles
estimated as [12, 13].
of about 90° decrease the cumulative conversion
effeciency because of a decreased temperature for
larger throat angles due to the divergent effect and the
reaction rate. Venselaar [18] also recommended, after
comparison of the design characteristics of a number of
3.3 The Hearth Load: Specific Gasification Rate and gasifiers, that the throat inclination should be around
Specific Solid Flow Rate 45° to 60°. A throat angle of 60° is used.
The hearth load, Bg, is defined as the amount of 3.5 Sizing of the Fire Box or Hearth
producer gas reduced to normal (p, T) conditions,
Diameter of the fire box or hearth, dh is a function of
divided by the surface area of the throat at the smallest
throat diameter and can be estimated from Fig. 1a using
circumference and is expressed in m3/(cm2xh) [12].
This may be referred to as the specific gasification rate
(SGR), which is the volumetric flow rate of gas per unit
area based on throat diameter, the gas volume being
3.6 Nozzle Design and Air Blast Velocity
measured at the standard conditions [14, 15]. The
hearth load can also be expressed as the amount of dry The height of nozzle plane above the smallest cross
fuel consumed divided by the surface area of the section of the throat is a function of the throat diameter
narrowest constriction, Bs, and is expressed in and can be evaluated from Fig. 1b,
kg/(cm2xh) [12]. This may also be referred to as the The ratio between the nozzle flow area and the throat
specific solid flow rate (SSR) which is the mass flow of area is a function of the throat diameter and is given
fuel measured at throat [14, 15]. One kilogramme of from Fig. 1c as
dry fuel under normal circumstances produces about
2.5 m3 of producer gas [12, 14, 16]. Thus
[12, 14] Where, An is the total nozzle area. It is assumed that
the gasifier will be equipped with 5 nozzles as
recommended by Shrinivasa and Mukunda [19] for
The recommended value for Bg falls in the range of operating slow two-cycle engines. Hence,
0.30 to 1.0 [12, 14, 16]. Taking the value of Bg as 0.3,
Sivakumar et al. [14] suggested optimum results are
obtained when the angle of inclination of the nozzles is
3.4 Throat Sizing between 10° and 25°. An inclination of 15° is used.
The nozzle tip ring diameter dnt is also a function of
The cross sectional area of the throat is thus
the throat diameter as seen in Fig. 1d. The ratio
between the nozzle tip ring diameter and the throat
The diameter of throat, dt, can be calculated using diameter is
 Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass Gasifier 19

a. b.

c. d.
Fig. 1 a. Diameter of the fire box, dr, as a function of the throat diameter, dt ; b. Height of the nozzle plane above the throat,
hnt, as a function of the throat diameter; c. Ratio between nozzle flow area, An, and throat area, At, as a function of the throat
diameter; d. Nozzle tip ring diameter, dnt, as a function of the throat diameter, dt [1].

3.7 Air Inlet and Outlet

The general range for air inlet velocity is 6 m/s to 10

The air blast velocity (Vb) can be estimated by m/s [17]. The dimensions for the air inlet can be
equating the volumetric flow rate of the producer gas obtained using the continuity equation. By taking the
through the throat to the volumetric flow rate of air velocity of air to be 6 m/s,
through the nozzle.

The volumetric flow rate of producer gas through the

throat is estimated using
For a circular opening, the diameter is
. The gas inlet is taken to be
25 mm. The gas outlet is taken to be 20 mm.
Using this flow rate as the flow of air through the
nozzle, 3.8 Length of Reduction Zone

Sivakumar et al. [17] proposed that for a throat

diameter of about 100 mm and for a throat angle of
between 45 and 90 degrees, the reduction zone with a
20 Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass Gasifier

length above 150 mm gives an optimum cumulative

conversion effeciency. However, SERI [20] proposes
that the height of the reduction zone should equal the
diameter of the throat. The reduction zone is designed
with a length of 80 mm.

3.9 Height of the Hoper

The height of the hoper is decided on the basis of the

feedstock which it will be required to hold within the
period of operation. The period of operation is taken to
be 2 hours since it is laboratory scale. Therefore, given
the biomass consumption rate as 4.32 kg/h, the total
biomass consumption estimated to be consumed in 2
hours is 8.64 kg.
The bulk density of wood is between 300 and 550
kg/m3 depending on the moisture content. Assuming
the value of the bulk density is taken to be 500 kg/m3,
the total volume of the hoper is estimated as: Fig. 3 The laboratory scale biomass gasifier.

A height of 400 mm is taken. The biomass gasifier is

The height of a cylindrical reactor is
shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 shows the picture of the gasifier.

4. Preliminary Tests Carried Out on the

Biomass Fuels
Wood shavings and palm kernel shells were used as
the biomass fuel/feedstock for testing the performance
of the manufactured biomass gasifier. Preliminary
experiments were carried out on the biomass fuels to
determine some of their properties which are critical to
the operation of the gasifier. The properties that were
determined include the moisture content, bulk and
apparent densities and bed voidage.

4.1 Determination of Moisture Content of Biomass

The moisture content determined on dry weight

basis (MCD) and wet basis (MCW) were estimated
using

 
Fig. 2 Orthographic views of the laboratory scale biomass
gasifier.
 
 Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass Gasifier 21

4.2 Determination of Bulk Density draft mode, a blower with power rating of 3.5 kW was
attached to the gasifier’s inlet to introduce air into the
The bulk densities of the wood shavings and the
air jacket which delivers it to the nozzles. The fuel was
palm kernel shells were determined using
fed to the throat level and was ignited at the throat
while the blower was operating. After sufficient
 
temperature was reached, the fuel was loaded in
4. 3 Determination of Apparent Particle Density multiples of 1 kg. The gas produced was ignited and the
The apparent particle density is the density of a characteristic of the gas and flame were observed. The
biomass particle with the pore inherently present in it. consumption rate of biomass was also observed. The
The apparent densities were determined using experiment was carried out for both the wood shavings
and palm kernel shells.
The fuel conversion rate was estimated using
 
4.4 Determination of Bed Voidage

The bed voidage is the ratio of the inter-particle void

space to the total volume. The bed voidage was 5. Results and Discussions
determined using [21]
5.1 Determination of Biomass Properties

  The results for the determination of the properties of

the biomass fuels are given in Table 1.
4.5 Tests Carried Out on the Gasifier
5.2 Results of Experiments Carried Out on the Gasifier
The performance of the laboratory scale biomass
Operation in Natural Downdraft Mode
gasifier was tested using the biomass fuels and in
natural- and forced-draft modes. The operation of the gasifier with wood shavings in
the natural downdraft mode took about 35 minutes for
4.5.1 Natural Downdraft Mode
the initial start up and production of combustible gas
During operation of the gasifier in the natural when ignited from under the grate. The gas burned with
convection mode, the fuel wood shavings was fed into a blue flame similar to the butane gas for a short period
the gasifier until it reached above the throat level. It of about 10 minutes before the production of the syngas
was ignited from the bottom of the grate using a torch. was stopped. The pressure at which the gas exited the
Air was allowed to flow through the air inlet by natural outlet was low. It was observed further that the heat
convection. The gas produced was ignited. The remained in the reduction zone and thus the oxidation
properties of the gas and the flame were observed. In zone at the throat did not combust the biomass wood
another experiment, the fuel was fed to the hearth level
Table 1 Properties of the biomass fuels.
and the ignition was carried out by introducing a flame
Palm kernel Wood
in the throat. The operation of the gasifier was also Property
shell shavings
observed. The second experiment was repeated for the Moisture content (dry weight
9.8 19.3
basis) (%)
palm kernel shells. Moisture content (wet basis) (%) 8.9 16.2
Bulk density (g/cm3) 0.5 0.05
4.5.2 Forced Downdraft Mode
Apparent particle density (g/cm3) 0.82 0.3
Bed voidage 0.39 0.83
During operation of the gasifier in the forced down-
22 Design and Development of a Laboratory Scale Biomass Gasifier

Table 2 Results from the operation of the gasifier using during the flaring of natural gas. Unlike the wood
palm kernel shells.
shavings, the palm kernel shells flowed freely. There
Start up time 10 minutes
were no bridging problems observed. It was also
Mass of biomass consumed 2 kg
Time taken to operate steadily 30 min observed that a lot of smoke and tar oil was produced
Fuel conversion rate 4 kg/h initially when the gasifier is loaded with fuel.
shavings in the zone. There was, in addition, no
6. Conclusions
observable decrease in the bed height during the
process. A laboratory scale downdraft biomass gasifier was
Syngas was not produced when wood shavings were designed to deliver a mechanical power of 4 kW and
ignited at the throat. Instead, the biomass only burned thermal power of about 15 kW. The design was largely
but did not gasify. A lot of smoke was also produced empirical, that is, based on past experience. The
before the wood shavings began to burn. Palm kernel biomass gasifier was manufactured as a single piece
shells also burned but did not gasify when operated in having a water seal and cover. The laboratory scale
the natural draft mode. It was noticed that the ignition biomass gasifier has a capacity of holding 8.64 kg of
from the bottom of the grate was not an efficient feedstock. The hearth and throat diameter are 238 mm
method of ignition. Also, the gasifier could not operate and 68 mm respectively. It had five nozzles, 10 mm
by natural draft and it needed a source of forcing air diameter, for the injection of air. The gasifier is lagged
through the bed. along its length and throat using fibre glass material.
Palm kernel shells had moisture content of between
5.3 Operation in Forced Downdraft Mode
8% and 10% while wood shavings had moisture
The operation of the gasifier in forced downdraft content between 16% and 20%. The bulk density of
mode using wood shavings as fuel produced palm kernel shells is estimated to be 0.5 g/cm3. Palm
combustible gases, but a bridging was noticed which kernel shells also have an apparent density estimated as
was caused by the char produced from the wood 0.82 g/cm3 and with a bed voidage of 0.39. Wood
shavings which did not allow the gas produced to flow shavings have a bulk density estimated to be 0.05
through the bed to the outlet. The bridging problem has g/cm3. The apparent density of wood shavings is 0.3
been observed for fluffy or loose biomass by g/cm3 and the bed voidage is 0.83. The biomass fuel
Kumararaja [22] for gasification of groundnut shells conversion rate is 4 kg/h. The gasifier was suitable for
and Rudakova [23] for sawdust. In addition to the gasifying palm kernel shell, but bridging problems
bridging problem, it was observed that there was no were experienced during gasification of wood shavings.
free flow of biomass within the gasifier into the Forced downdraft mode of operation yielded better
throated region. The possible cause for the hindered results and is the preferred operation of the gasifier.
flow is the inherent properties of the biomass as
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