Master of Science / Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering / Wenqiao Yuan / Biomass gasification is a promising route utilizing biomass materials to produce fuels and chemicals. Gas product from the gasification process is so called synthesis gas (or syngas) which can be further treated or converted to liquid fuels or certain chemicals. Since gasification is a complex thermochemical conversion process, it is difficult to distinguish the physical conditions during the gasification stages. And, gasification with different materials can result in different product yields. The main purpose of this research was to develop a downdraft gasifier system with a fully-equipped instrumentation system and a well-functioned tar measurement system, to evaluate temperature, pressure drop, and gas flow rate, and to investigate gasification performance using different biomass feedstock. Chromel-Alumel type K thermocouples with a signal-conditioning device were chosen and installed to monitor the temperature profile inside the gasifier. Protel 99SE was applied to design the signal conditioning device comprised of several integrated chips, which included AD 595, TS 921, and LM 7812. A National Instruments (NI) USB-6008 data acquisition board was used as the data-collecting device. As for the pressure, a differential pressure transducer was applied to complete the measurement. An ISA1932 flow nozzle was installed to measure the gas flow rate. Apart from the gaseous products yield in the gasification process, a certain amount of impurities are also produced, of which tar is one of the main components. Since tar is a critical issue to be resolved for syngas downstream applications, it is important to determine tar concentration in syngas. A modified International Energy Agency (IEA) tar measurement protocol was applied to collect and analyze the tars produced in the downdraft gasifier. Solvent for tar condensation was acetone, and Soxhlet apparatus was used for tar extraction. The gasifier along with the instrumentation system and tar measurement method were tested. Woodchips, Corncobs, and Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) were employed for the experimental study. The gasifier system was capable of utilizing these three biomass feedstock to produce high percentages of combustible gases. Tar concentrations were found to be located within a typical range for that of a general downdraft gasifer. Finally, an energy efficiency analysis of this downdraft gasifer was carried out.

abstract: Passive cooling techniques, specifically passive downdraft cooling (PDC), have proven to be a solution that can address issues associated with air conditioning (AC). Globally, over 100 buildings have integrated PDC in its different forms, most of which use direct evaporative cooling. Even though all surveyed buildings were energy efficient and cost-effective and most surveyed buildings were thermally comfortable, application of PDC remains limited. This study aims to advance performance of the single stage passive downdraft evaporative cooling tower (PDECT), and expand its applicability beyond the hot dry conditions where it is typically used, by designing and testing a multi-stage passive and hybrid downdraft cooling tower (PHDCT). Experimental evaluation on half-scale prototypes of these towers was conducted in Tempe, Arizona, during the hot dry and hot humid days of Summer, 2017. Ambient air dry-bulb temperatures ranged between 73.0°F with 82.9 percent coincident relative humidity, and 123.4°F with 7.8 percent coincident relative humidity. Cooling systems in both towers were operated simultaneously to evaluate performance under identical conditions. Results indicated that the hybrid tower outperformed the single stage tower under all ambient conditions and that towers site water consumption was at least 2 times lower than source water required by electric powered AC. Under hot dry conditions, the single stage tower produced average temperature drops of 35°F (5°F higher than what was reported in the literature), average air velocities of 200 fpm, and average cooling capacities of 4 tons. Furthermore, the hybrid tower produced average temperature drops of 45°F (50°F in certain operation modes), average air velocities of 160 fpm, and average cooling capacities exceeding 4 tons. Under hot humid conditions, temperature drops from the single stage tower were limited to the ambient air wet-bulb temperatures whereas drops continued beyond the wet-bulb in the hybrid tower, resulting in 60 percent decline in the former’s cooling capacity while maintaining the capacity of the latter. The outcomes from this study will act as an incentive for designers to consider incorporating PDC into their designs as a viable replacement/supplement to AC; thus, reducing the impact of the built environment on the natural environment. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Architecture 2017

Using biomass gasification to produce combustible gas is one of the promising sustainable energy optionsavailable for many countries. At present, a few small scale community based power generation systemsusing biomass gasifiers are in operation in Sri Lanka. However, due to the lack of proper knowledge, thesesystems are not being operated properly in full capacity. This stands as an obstacle for further expansionof the use of gasifier technology.The objective of this study was to identify the most influential parameters related to fuel wood gasificationwith a down draft gasifier in order to improve the gasification processes.A downdraft gasifier of 10kW electrical capacity was used to study the effect of equivalent ratio (Actual airfuel ratio to Stoicheometric air fuel ratio: ER) on the specific gas production, the heating value of gasproduced and the cold gas efficiency using three throat diameters (125mm, 150mm and 175mm). Six trialswere carried out for each throat diameter by varying the supply air flow to change the ER. The gassamples were tested for their compositions under steady state operating conditions. Using mass balancesfor C and N, the cold gas efficiencies, calorific values and the specific gas production rates weredetermined.The results showed that with all throat diameters the calorific value of gas reduced with the increase ofER. The cold gas efficiency reduced with ER in a similar trend for all three throat diameters. The specificgas production increased with ER under all throat diameters.Calorific value and specific gas production are changing inversely proportional manner. The ER to beoperated is depends on the type of application of the gas produced and engine characteristics. When alarge heat is required, low ER is to be used in which gas production is less. In the opposite way, when alarge amount of gas is needed, higher value of ER is recommended.

In this work it is presented an equilibrium model, capable to predict the composition of the generated gas, its Lower Heating Value (LHV), the gasification efficiency, the ratio air/biomass and the  ratio gas/biomass in a downdraft gasifier. The model describes the influence of  the moisture content of the biomass and the gasification temperatures on the composition and properties of the produced gases, like the low heating value (LHV). It is assumed that all the chemical reactions taking place  in the gasification area are in thermodynamic equilibrium. The model doesn't considered tar formation. It is not considered formation of other hydrocarbons (CxHy) than methane. The types of biomass used for modelling are: sugarcane bagasse, paddy husk, pine sawdust, mixed paper waste and municipal solid waste. The effect of gasification temperature and moisture content of biomass over the gas composition has been also investigated. Also an exergo-economic analysis of cogeneration system forming by a downdraft gasifier associated to an internal combustion engine was carried out, using sugar cane bagasse, rice husk, and pine sawdust, as fuel in gasification processes. At 700°C the highest amount of CO and CH4 are produce. The amount of CH4 and CO decrease with the temperature when the gasification temperature is increased from 700°C to 1000°C. The amount produced H2 does change so much between the gasification at 700°C and 1000°C. But the amount produced hydrogen is somewhat higher at 800°C. The lower heating value (LHV) of the synthesis gas from gasification of sugarcane bagasse the LHV of the produced gas is 4,09MJ/Nm3; for gasification of pine the LHV of the produced gas is 5,32MJ/Nm3; for gasification of rice husk the LHV of the produced gas is 3,14MJ/Nm3, for gasification of mixed paper waste the LHV of the produced gas is 4,51%, and for gasification of municipal solid  waste the LHV of the produced gas is 3,95MJ/Nm3. The cold and hot efficiency of gasification process at 800°C for bagasse with 20% moisture content are  55,32% and 84,90% respectively.

To examine the effects of operational parameters on syn-gas quality and biouel conversion rate under various running conditions, an experimental study of hardwood chip?s gasification in a downdraft gasifier was conducted. The resulting syn-gas had average low heating value of 5.79 ± 0.52 MJ/ Nm3, tar concentration of 14.06 ± 8.54 mg/Nm³, particulate concentration of 3.05 ± 1.79 mg/Nm³, hardwood conversion rate of 2.37±0.24 Nm³/kg, and carbon conversion rate of 98.01 ± 0.53%. This syn-gas is of acceptable quality to be used as a fuel source for internal combustion engine operations. The gasifier?s grate temperature had no evident effects on syn-gas quality and conversion rate within a range of 740 to 817oC. The particulate contents in preiltered syn-gas significantly increased when the gas flow rate changed from 36 to 56 Nm3/h. When the moisture content of hardwood chips increased, tar content of postiltered syn-gas significantly increased, and CO content significantly decreased.

En este trabajo de tesis doctoral, se realiza un estudio comparativo teórico y experimental entre dos tipos de tecnologías de gasificación de biomasa, determinando su viabilidad técnica, económica y ambiental para la producción de energía eléctrica en aplicaciones de baja potencia (inferiores a 100 kW). Los tipos de tecnologías seleccionadas están entre los de mayor interés en el campo de la gasificación de biomasa: lecho fijo downdraft y lecho fluido burbujeante. La mayoría de los resultados presentados en este trabajo, comparando las dos tecnologías, fueron obtenidos de manera experimental. Aunque más costosos, los experimentos proporcionan datos de diseño más fiables que los que se pueden obtener a través de la modelización o simulación, esto sin tener en cuenta que las reacciones que se llevan a cabo en el reactor son complejas y difíciles de modelar, sobretodo en la fase de conversión de sólido a gas, además, la mayoría de los modelos se enfocan en la producción y composición del gas sin tener en cuenta tanto la generación de alquitranes y residuos sólidos como su separación del gas, tan esenciales como el propio proceso de generación del gas. Todos estos hechos han obligado a centrar el estudio comparativo en la verificación experimental del comportamiento de ambos tipos de gasificadores, para lo cual se diseñó, construyó y puso en operación un prototipo con una potencia eléctrica del orden de 10 kW para cada una de las dos configuraciones a estudiar. También se aborda en el presente trabajo el problema de limpieza del gas y la separación de los residuos, especialmente alquitranes, generados en el proceso de gasificación. Para cada uno de los dos tipos de tecnologías estudiadas se ha definido y probado un tipo de sistema de limpieza de gases diferente, utilizando en ambos casos lavadores húmedos de gases y filtrado por medio de astillas, aunque con modos de operación diferentes. El estudio experimental permitió determinar la configuración óptima con la cual se obtiene un gas adecuado para ser quemado en un motor de combustión interna, éste es uno de los problemas más importantes a considerar en una planta de gasificación, debido al coste y el consumo de energía adicional que conllevan estos sistemas. En el aspecto de viabilidad económica se determinó, a partir de los gastos de construcción de los prototipos, que las plantas de generación de energía mediante la gasificación de biomasa con potencias inferiores a 50 kW no son económicamente rentables en España, salvo en condiciones muy restrictivas de bajo coste de la biomasa (inferior a 0,03 ¿/kg) y/o elevada subvención que permitiese un precio de venta superior a 0,2 ¿/kWh. Descartando la conexión a red de una planta de gasificación de baja potencia, se consideró su utilización en zonas no interconectadas, comparando los costes de generación de energía en dicha planta con los de las plantas que operan con gas natural o gasoil, se ha determinado que es más rentable la planta de gasificación, por lo tanto sería una alternativa para la generación de energía eléctrica en zonas rurales donde es costoso llevarla utilizando los métodos convencionales. / Vargas Salgado, CA. (2012). Estudio comparativo de la utilización de las tecnologías de gasificación Downdraft y lecho fluidizado burbujeante para la generación de energía eléctrica en aplicaciones de baja potencia [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/16379 / Palancia

No description available.

This study presents a climatology of convectively-generated strong wind gusts (SWG) occurred in Southern Brazil in the 2005-2015 period. The selection of these events was based on surface hourly data from the operational network of automated weather stations (AWSs) operated by Brazil’s National Meteorological Institute (INMET, in portuguese) and geostacionary meteorological satellite imagery. The time series of the atmospheric variables recorded by the AWSs during the SWGs events were evaluated aiming at detecting cold pools and mesohighs. Proximity soundings and Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) and Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2) reanalysis data were used to assess the atmospheric environment during the occurence of the wind gust events. It was evalueted whether the atmospheric conditions highlight environments that discriminates the occurence of the SWG of those less intense. Moreover, a comparision was conducted among atmospheric profiles generated from CFSR/CFSv2 reanalysis and profiles obtained from operational soundings taken in Southern Brazil in the 1996-2015 period. The results showed that INMET’s AWS were able to sample convectively-driven cold pools and mesohighs following the wind gusts. The highest frequency of SWGs was in the spring and summer months. Most SWGs were detected from mid-afternoon to overnight hours. The western portion of Southern Brazil displayed the largest frequency of SWGs. The median value of pressure variations following the SWG +4,6 hPa, with extreme values (95% percentile) reaching +8,2 hPa. The median value for temperature variations was -6,5 C, with extremes values below -13,0 C. Overall, the results showed that the atmospheric parameters demonstrate some discrimination between SWGs and weaker wind gusts. The Downdraft Convective Available Potential Energy (DCAPE) and the Derecho Composite Parameter (DCP) were the atmospheric parameters that better discriminate the atmospheric environment favorable to the occurence of SWGs. The comparision between atmospheric profiles generated from CFSR/CFSv2 data and observed soundings showed that the reanalysis reproduce well the thermodynamic parameters, but significantly underestimates the kinematic parameters. / Neste trabalho é apresentada uma climatologia de rajadas (RAJ) de vento convectivas intensas ocorridas na região sul do Brasil entre 2005 e 2015. A seleção destes eventos foi feita com base nos dados horários da rede operacional de estações meteorológicas automáticas (EMAs) de superfície do Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET) e imagens de satélites meteorológicos geoestacionários. As séries temporais das variáveis atmosféricas registradas pelas EMAs durante os eventos de RAJ foram avaliadas para detectar piscinas de ar frio e mesoaltas. O ambiente atmosférico durante a ocorrência das RAJ foi analisando utilizando-se perfis atmosféricos extraídos de sondagens de proximidade e de dados de reanálise do Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) e Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2). Avaliou-se se as condições atmosféricas ressaltam ambientes que discriminem a ocorrência das rajadas convectivas mais intensas daquelas menos intensas. Foi conduzida também uma comparação entre os perfis atmosféricos extraídos da reanálise CFSR/CFSv2 e os perfis obtidos de sondagens operacionais realizadas no sul do Brasil para o período entre 1996 e 2015. Os resultados mostraram que as EMAs-INMET conseguiram amostrar as piscinas de ar frio e mesoaltas que acompanham as rajadas convectivas. As rajadas intensas ocorreram com mais frequência na primavera e verão, e predominantemente entre o final da tarde e a madrugada. Em geral, houve uma ligeira tendência para uma maior ocorrência de RAJ nas EMAs-INMET do setor oeste da Região Sul. A mediana das variações de pressão acompanhando a RAJ foi de +4,6 hPa, com valores mais extremos (percentil 95%) atingindo +8,2 hPa. A mediana das variações de temperatura foi -6,5 C, com valores extremos abaixo de -13,0 C. De maniera geral, os parâmetros atmosféricos conseguiram demonstrar alguma discriminação entre a classe de RAJ intensas e as rajadas mais fracas. O Downdraft Convective Available Potential Energy (DCAPE) e o Derecho Composite Parameter (DCP) foram os parâmtros que melhor discriminaram ambientes atmosféricos favoráveis à ocorrência de rajadas de vento intensas. A comparação entre reanálise CFSR/CFSv2 e sondagens observadas mostrou que a reanálise reproduziu bem os parâmetros termodinâmicos, mas subestimou significativamente os parâmtros cinemáticos.

Submitted by Cleide Dantas (cleidedantas@ufpa.br) on 2014-04-07T16:42:52Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_CaracterizacaoGaseificadorTipo.pdf: 600936 bytes, checksum: 0de9c466832c23a25a0f22bd65d49fa6 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Rosa Silva (arosa@ufpa.br) on 2014-06-16T16:39:03Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_CaracterizacaoGaseificadorTipo.pdf: 600936 bytes, checksum: 0de9c466832c23a25a0f22bd65d49fa6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-16T16:39:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_CaracterizacaoGaseificadorTipo.pdf: 600936 bytes, checksum: 0de9c466832c23a25a0f22bd65d49fa6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A gaseificação é uma conversão termoquímica da biomassa em gás combustível, que pode ser usado como combustível em motores de combustão interna ou como gás de síntese para a indústria química. Para checar o desempenho de um gaseificador temos de quantificar a energia contida no gás produzido e a quantidade de carbono convertido por meio dos cálculos de eficiência energética e de conversão de carbono através dos dados obtidos experimentalmente. A eficiência energética é uma relação entre os fluxos de gás e biomassa e de suas respectivas quantidades de energia, no mesmo sentido, a conversão de carbono é a quantidade de compostos carbonáceos presentes no gás convertido a partir da quantidade de carbono presente na composição da biomassa. O presente documento avalia a eficiência energética e de carbono na conversão de um protótipo de um gaseificador indiano do tipo downdraft produzido por uma empresa local (Floragás). Os parâmetros nominais do gaseificador são: capacidade de produção de gás de 45 kWt, consumo de biomassa (caroço de açaí) de 15 kg/h. As dimensões do gaseificador são: DI 150 mm e altura de 2000 mm). A eficiência energética e a taxa de conversão de carbono foram quantificados, a queda de pressão devido ao leito do reator e a temperatura dos gases também foram medidos na saída do reator e também, a concentração de alcatrão, partículas e gases não condensáveis (CO, CO2, CH4, SO2, N2 e NOx) nos gases de combustão após a sistema de limpeza. / The gasification is a thermo-chemical conversion of biomass in fuel gas which can be used as a fuel in internal combustion engines or as a syngas for chemical industry. To quantify the performance of a gasifier we must quantify the energy contained in the gas produced and relate to the amount of energy contained in the biomass that feeds the gasifier, Energy Efficiency, and even with regard to levels of carbon converted from biomass into the gas produced, Carbon Conversion. This paper assesses the energy efficiency and carbon conversion in a prototype of an Indian downdraft gasifier type produced by a local company (Floragás). The gasifier nominal parameters are: gas production capacity of 45 kWt, açaí seeds consumption of 15 kg/h. The gasifier reactor dimensions are ID 150 mm and height in 2000 mm). Its energy efficiency and rate of carbon conversion were quantified, the drop in pressure due to the reactor bed and the gas temperature were also measured at the reactor exit and quantified the concentration of tar, particulate and not condensable gases (CO, CO2, CH4, SO2, N2 and NOx) in the flue gas after cleaning system.

Submitted by Cleide Dantas (cleidedantas@ufpa.br) on 2014-04-10T11:52:49Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_EstudoExperimentalReator.pdf: 6155129 bytes, checksum: 1a054f005cea1bbb8517a8f33aabd18a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Rosa Silva (arosa@ufpa.br) on 2014-06-18T15:55:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_EstudoExperimentalReator.pdf: 6155129 bytes, checksum: 1a054f005cea1bbb8517a8f33aabd18a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-18T15:55:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_EstudoExperimentalReator.pdf: 6155129 bytes, checksum: 1a054f005cea1bbb8517a8f33aabd18a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Um leito de gaseificação de pequena escala foi projetado, construído e operado com o objetivo de investigar os parâmetros que influenciam o processo de gaseificação de um leito fixo de caroço de açaí. O reator é do tipo topo aberto downdraft estratificado, de dimensões de 15 cm de diâmetro interno por 1,5 m de altura, com isolamento térmico. O gás produzido foi coletado a jusante do leito de gaseificação e condensado para remoção de alcatrão, o qual foi posteriormente quantificado em titulador Karl Fisher. Após remoção do alcatrão o gás foi introduzido em um Micro GC para quantificação dos percentuais molares de H2, CO, N2 e CH4. O perfil de temperatura do leito foi medido com termopares tipo K posicionados ao longo do eixo longitudinal do leito em distâncias de 10 cm. A vazão de ar foi medida com auxilio de um tubo de Pitot e um micromanômetro. As aquisições dos dados de temperatura foram feitas por um data logger e vazão mássica do ar sendo feita usando comunicação RS232 do micromanômetro. Os procedimentos experimentais foram feitos ao longo de 4 horas de operação do leito de gaseificação, com consumo médio de biomassa de 1,6 kg/h, com 6 dados do perfil de temperatura, vazão mássica de ar, perda de carga do leito e concentração dos gases obtidos no processo de gaseificação e quantificação do teor de alcatrão condensável presente no gás. Verificou-se que o gaseificador de leito de açaí pode ser operado através de uma gama bastante ampla de taxas de fluxo de ar de 2 a 5 kg/h, com a quantidade de energia do gás produzido variando de 5 a 15 MJ/h. As concentrações típicas dos gases obtidos no leito foram de 13% de H2, 11% de CO, 1,3% de CH4. A eficiência máxima de gás frio de 57% e teor médio de alcatrão de 155 g/m3. / A bed of small-scale gasifier was a designed, built and operated in order to investigate the parameters that influence the gasification process of a fixed bed of açai seeds. The reactor type was a stratified downdraft open top and the dimensions are 15 cm of inner diameter and 1.5 m of height, with thermal insulation. The gas produced was collected downstream of the gasification bed and condensed for tar removal, which was subsequently quantified by Karl Fisher titration. After removal of tar, the produced gas was introduced in a Micro GC to be quantified in molar percentage of H2, CO, N2 and CH4. The temperature profile of the bed was measured with thermocouples type K, positioned along the longitudinal axis of the bed, with a distance of 10 cm between each other. The air flow was measured using a Pitot tube and a micromanometer. The acquisition of temperature data was made by a datalogger and the mass air flow rate was logged using the RS232 communication of the micromanometer. The experimental procedures were performed over 4 hours of operation of the gasification bed and the biomass average consumption was 1,6 kg/h. Six temperature profiles, mass flow of the incoming air, the bed pressure drop, concentrations of gases and tar content in the condensable gas, were obtained. It was found that the gasifier bed of acai can be operated in a wide range of air flow rates from 2 to 5 kg/h, with the amount of energy of the gas produced ranging from 5 to 15 MJ/h. The typical concentrations of gases obtained for the produced gas were 13% of H2, 11% of CO, 1,3% and CH4. The maximum cold gas efficiency resulted in 57% and and average tar content was 155 g/m3.