High-Temperature Steam Gasification of Agricultural and MSW and Conversion to

Energy System

02/21/2012

TAG meeting

INTRODUCTION

Background Increasing MSW Generation Rates

Disadvantage of Partial Oxygen Gasification or Incineration Lower temperature gasifier produces low-quality syngas that contains

undesirable char, tar and soot Harmful emissions due to the air-breathing combustion

Objective Define the critical parameters affecting product yields Develop optimal conditions for thermal-chemical conversions Develop cost-effective method for the production of hydrogen fuel

Agricultural Wastes

MSW

High Temperature Steam Gasification

Team Members PI

Skip Ingley, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida. E-mail - ingley@ufl.edu, Tel - 352-284-0997 

Jacob N. Chung, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,University of Florida. E-mail - jnchung@ufl.edu, Tel - 352-392-9607

Members

Name

Atish Shah

Graduate student

Billy Allen

Samuel Mammo

Stephen Belser

Uisung Lee

Andrew HatcherUndergraduate student

Thomas Lunden

Team Members Hinkley Center Project Manager

Tim Vinson TAG Members

Tim Townsend, Professor, Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida

John Anderson, CEO Quantera Energy Resourse, Inc. Brent Wainwright, Principal, Green Team Ventures, LLC John Kuhn, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomedical

Engineering, University of South Florida

MSW CHARACTERIZATION

MSW Characterization Typical MSW composition by material

Total MSW composition by material before recycling, 2009 [data from EPA]

MSW samples Experimental Feedstock Composition

Material Composition

Paper Corrugated boxesNewspaperOffice type paper

22.8%6.5%4.5%

Food scrap Dog foodAdditional water (moisture content compensation)

5.3%11.7%

Wood sawdust 7.8%

Yard Trimming Grass, Leaves, Brush trimming 16.5%

Plastics (1) PET(2) HDPE(3) PVC(4) LDPE(5) PP(6) PS

2.4%3.6%0.8%4.3%3.8%1.7%

Rubber and leather Rubber and leather 3.7%

Textiles Textiles 6.3%

Total 100.0%

MSW sample

Proximate and Ultimate Analysis

Keystone Materials Testing, Inc.

EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEM DESIGN

Previous system Supply the high temperature steam via combustion of hydrogen and oxygen Batch type

Hydrogen

Carbon Dioxide

Oxygen

Gasification Reactor

Cooling/CleaningVessel 1

FI

Ejector

Cooling/Cleaning Vessel 2

Cooling/Cleaning Vessel 3

FI

Tout4Tout3Tout2Tout1

T

FI

P

T P

T P

T4-1

T1-2

T2-2

T1-1

T2-1

T3-1

T3-2

T4-2

TC

FI

P2

P1Air Compressor

Current Experimental Setup

Schematic

Steam Generator / Superheater

Steam GeneratorSuperheater

Pump Controler

Gasifier & Cooler

Condensate CollectorCondensate Collector

Syngas CoolerSyngas Cooler

ExhaustExhaust

SamplingSampling

GasifierGasifier

Steam InjectorSteam Injector

Gasifier & Cooler

Steam InjectorSteam Injector

Ceramic HoneycombCeramic Honeycomb

Condensate CollectorCondensate CollectorFeedstockFeedstock

Steam Injector

FLUENT Simulation Steam injection profile

Velocity

Temperature

improvement scheme

Feeder

Ball ValveBall Valve

Argon Purging Gas Inlet/OutletArgon Purging Gas Inlet/Outlet

PistonPiston

Heating Tape Preheater for the feedstock

Electric Heating TapeElectric Heating Tape

Experimental Equipment

Steam generatorSteam generator

SuperheaterSuperheater

GasifierGasifier

FeederFeeder

Syngas CoolerSyngas Cooler

Argon CylinderArgon Cylinder

Gas SamplingGas SamplingExhaustExhaust

Condensate Collector

Condensate Collector

Steam Injector and Base Module

Ceramic Honeycomb Discs

SIMULATION RESULTS

Equilibrium Model

exist C(s) ?

3 independent reactions

Predicted syngas composition : CO, CO2, CH4, H2, N2 and H2O

2 independent reactions

yes. 7 species no. 6 species

C(s) + CO2 ↔ 2COC(s) + H2O ↔ H2 + CO

C(s) + 2H2 ↔ CH4

CH4 + H2O ↔ CO + 3H2

CO + H2O ↔ CO2 + H2

Setup the Global Gasification Reaction

Assume there would be C(s)

Equilibrium ModelSolve equations with numerical method

Equilibrium ConstantSolve equations with numerical method

Equilibrium Constant

yes

Endno

Results Gas composition

Mole Fraction (SB = 1)

Equilibrium Temperature (C)

400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Mo

le F

ract

ion

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6H2COH2OCO2CH4

H2

H2O

CO2

CH4

CO

Mole Fraction (SB = 2)

Equilibrium Temperature (C)

400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Mol

e F

ract

ion

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6H2COH2OCO2CH4

H2

H2O

CO2

CH4

CO

Result1300C Steam (without Heat loss)

Eq

uilib

rium

Tem

pera

ture

(C

)

400

500

600

700

800

900

Steam to Biomass Mass Ratio

1 2 3 4 5

Mo

le F

ract

ion

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

H2COH2OCO2CH4

H2

H2O

CO2

CH4

CO

Heat Gain Effect (200W)

Equ

ilibr

ium

Tem

pera

ture

(C

)

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

w/o heat lossHeat gain (200W) + w/ Heat loss

Steam to Biomass Mass Ratio

1 2 3 4 5

Mol

e F

ract

ion

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

H2

CO

H2O

CO2CH4

CURRENT ISSUES

Current Issues Conduct Steam Temperature Tests and Measure Temperature

Profiles in Gasifier Finalize Arrangements for Syngas Sampling Steam to Biomass Ratio Tests with Woody Biomass Conduct Gasification Runs with MSW, MSW Components and

Farm Wastes

Questions andDiscussion

?