Simulation and Optimization of the Steam Gasification Process using CPFD

Authors: K. K. Perera , R. K. Thapa , and B. M. Halvorsen

Source: Perera, K. K.; Thapa, R. K.; Halvorsen, B. M. Simulation and Optimization of the Steam Gasification Process Using CPFD. In Energy Production and Management in the 21st Century; Ekateringburg, Russia, 2014; Vol. 2, pp 1215–1226.

Abstract: Steam gasification is a well-known technology, which is used to produce a high quality product of gas, especially for power generation applications. The gas composition, gas quality and the purity has a great role to play depending on the end application. Hence the bio mass steam gasification process was studied using the Computational Particle Fluid Dynamics (CPFD) simulation tool, ‘Barracuda VRTM’. The software is well suited for simulating dense particle laden fluids due to its numerical solving methods for both the particles and the fluid. B oth the experiments and simulations were carried out for a cylindrical isothermal fluidized bed reactor without chemistry, to compare the deviations of simulation results from the experimental results. The simulation results were agreed with the experimental results and they confirmed the same minimum fluidization velocity. Three dimensional simulations were carried out for a cylindrical geometry to study energy, and momentum transport within a simplified dual fluidized bed steam gasification reactor and the important chemistry were included. According to the simulation results, the product gas mainly consisted of CO and the amount of H2 was less in comparison to the higher amounts of CH4.The cumulative production of combustible gasses (CO, CH4 and H2) was estimated as 280 Sm3/day based on the simulation results. Keywords: bio mass steam gasification, Barracuda, CPFD, product gas.