| dc.description.abstract | Thermal degradation of wastes for energy extraction is a viable option that can substitute for green energy demand. Among the thermochemical conversion processes, the gasification of solid wastes gives better gaseous products. Waste biomass cannot be used directly as a feed stock for gasification. Feed to gasifier must have some proper shape, and size which can be obtained through pelletization. Biomass pelletization is an effective process to overcome specific biomass application limitations such as low density, high volume, nonuniform particle size and shape, storage, and cost of transportation. The quality of fuel pellets is determined based on their mechanical strength, density, biomass chemical structure, pelletization operating conditions, pre-treatments, and pellet post treatments.
In this work, the preparation of raw material, pelletization, and gasification of barley straw and coffee waste was carried out and the factors that affect the quality of the fuel pellet were observed. The pellets made by pelleting machine were used as feedstock to the gasifier for the production of syngas. The simulation task was performed using CPFD software and the factors affecting the syngas composition were investigated. Pelleting work was carried out using the pelleting press machine 14-175 available at USN and the most affecting parameters for making pellets are found to be moisture content and machine operating condition. Gasification experiments were carried out in a 20-kW bubbling fluidized bed gasifier and the experimental data were compared with the simulated data to validate the robustness of the developed CPFD model.
The major results of this work are presented in a scientific paper and submitted to the Euro SIMS conference that is going to be held in Amsterdam on July 3-5. The paper is already accepted, and the abstract of the paper is attached to this thesis report. | |
