Yes / The biomass gasification process is widely accepted as a popular technology to produce fuel for the application in gas turbines and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). Chemical reactions of this process can be separated into three reaction zones: pyrolysis, combustion, and reduction. In this study, sensitivity analysis with respect to three input parameters (gasification temperature, equivalence ratio, and steam-to-biomass ratio) has been carried out to achieve energy self-sufficient conditions in a steam gasification process under the criteria that the carbon conversion efficiency must be more than 70%, and carbon dioxide gas is lower than 20%. Simulation models of the steam gasification process have been carried out by ASPEN Plus and validated with both experimental data and simulation results from Nikoo & Mahinpey (2008). Gasification temperature of 911 °C, equivalence ratio of 0.18, and a steam-to-biomass ratio of 1.78, are considered as an optimal operation point to achieve energy self-sufficient condition. This operating point gives the maximum of carbon conversion efficiency at 91.03%, and carbon dioxide gas at 15.18 volumetric percentages. In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) is included to compare the environmental performance of conventional and energy self-sufficient gasification for steam biomass gasification. / Financing of this research was supported by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) under Grant Number PHD57I0054 and the Institutional Research Grant by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF) under Grant Number IRG 5780014 and Chulalongkorn University, Contact No. RES_57_411_21_076.

Submitted by Nestor Proenza Perez null (nestor@feg.unesp.br) on 2016-07-25T14:02:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESIS VERSÃO FINAL NESTOR PROENZA.pdf: 3806431 bytes, checksum: e67652e66d5b48b5104953feec776a66 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Felipe Augusto Arakaki (arakaki@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-07-28T12:09:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 perez_np_dr_guara.pdf: 3806431 bytes, checksum: e67652e66d5b48b5104953feec776a66 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-28T12:09:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 perez_np_dr_guara.pdf: 3806431 bytes, checksum: e67652e66d5b48b5104953feec776a66 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-24 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Neste trabalho foi realizada a caracterização física, geométrica e fluidodinâmica do bagaço de cana-de-açúcar visando o projeto e dimensionamento de um gaseificador de leito fluidizado borbulhante para pequena e média capacidade térmica (até 25 MW térmicos). As principais propriedades físicas e químicas como massa específica real, aparente e a granel, assim como os teores de umidade, cinzas, material volátil e carbono fixo presentes neste material foram determinadas aplicando normas vigentes para este tipo de resíduo. Também foi realizada uma caracterização geométrica através de técnicas de análise de imagens, determinando-se a esfericidade e razão de aspecto para todas as faixas de diâmetro de partículas estudadas, obtendo-se um valor médio de 0,39 no caso da esfericidade para o bagaço em seu estado natural. Através do estudo fluidodinâmico verificou-se que partículas de bagaço de cana com diâmetros característicos entre 0,59 – 9,5 mm não são fluidizáveis, apresentando uma tendência a coesão e formação de canais preferenciais. Foi constatado que o emprego dos modelos existentes até agora para a previsão da velocidade mínima de fluidização (Vmf), tanto para partículas de bagaço, quanto para misturas delas com material inerte, não preveem de forma adequada este parâmetro. Indicando erros entre 85% e mais de 100% em cada um desses caso, pelo que foram deselvolvidos dois novos modelos específicos para partículas de bagaço de cana e para misturas delas com areia, os quais previram com melhor exatidão os valores da (Vmf), com um erro máximo de 6,3%, para partículas de bagaço, e de até 30% para 88% das 25 condições experimentais testadas no caso de misturas. Conclui-se também que, para garantir uma boa fluidização, a fração em massa máxima de bagaço na mistura deve ser entre 2 - 5%. Uma nova metodologia é proposta baseada nos novos modelos desenvolvidos para a determinação da (Vmf), tornando possível o projeto e dimensionamento de gaseificadores de leito fluidizado borbulhante, sendo determinado que reatores trabalhando com misturas de bagaço e areia são 30% maiores que reatores empregando somente partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar com uma eficiência a frio de 58,5%. / In this work is carried out a physical, geometric and fluid-dynamics characterization of sugarcane bagasse, aiming to design and sizing a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier for small and medium power (up to 25 MW thermal). The main physical and chemical properties as real density, bulk density and apparent density, as well as, the content of moisture, ash, volatile matter and fixed carbon present in the bagasse, were determined by applying the standars norms suitable for this type of residue. It was also made a geometric characterization by image analysis techniques, being determined the sphericity and aspect ratio for all diameter ranger of studied particles, obtaining an average value of 0.39 in the case of sphericity for bagasse in it is natural form. Through the fluid dynamic study it was found that bagasse particles with typical diameters between 0,59 – 9,5 mm are not fluidizable, showing a tendency to cohesion and formation of preferential channels. It has been found that the use of the existing models to date for determination of the minimum fluidization velocity for bagasse particles and for mixtures of them with inert, do not predict the right way this parameter, introduced errors of up to 85% to over 100% in both cases, therefore were developed two new models specifically for sugarcane bagasse particles and mixtures of them with sand, with a maximum error of 6.3% in the first case, and 30% for the 88% of the 25 experimental conditions tested in the case of mixtures. Concluding that to ensure a good fluidization, the maximum mass fraction of bagasse in the mixture should be between 2 - 5%. A new methodology is proposed based on the new models developed, making possible the design and dimensioning of the bubbling fluidized bed gasifier, determining that reactors working with mixtures of sugarcane bagasse and sand are 30% higher than reactors employing solely sugarcane bagasse particles, with a cold gas efficiency of 58.5%.