Gasifier - Thermal Combustion Clean EnergyWhat is a Gasifier? A Gasifier uses indirect heat to convert organic or fossil based carbonaceous matter into a volatile gas for use as an alternative fuel source. This fuel, (if derived from biomass) is considered to be a source of renewable energy.
The gasification of organic matter is an endothermic reaction and is achieved by exposing the matter to high temperatures of >700º C in a low oxygen environment. The restriction of oxygen within the gasifier prevents combustion from occurring. The Gasifier therefore decomposes biomass at a high temperature creating a syngas with greater efficiencies, and less emissions than direct combustion. The high temperature refines out corrosive ash elements such as chloride and potassium, allowing clean syngas production from problematic waste streams. This syngas may be combusted directly in diesel or gas engines (with some modification), or used to produce methanol and hydrogen. It is also used by a Fischer-Tropsch system to produce synthetic fuel such as bio-diesel. Gasifiers are also widely used for power production from fossil fuels due to the high efficiencies of the process.
A gasifier processes carbonaceous material by allowing a limited amount of oxygen to be introduced into the reactor. This allows some of the organic material to be ‘burned’ to produce carbon dioxide and energy. This process drives a second reaction that converts further organic material to hydrogen and additional carbon dioxide.
Further reactions occur when the formed carbon monoxide and residual water from the organic material react to form methane and excess carbon dioxide. Gasification is not Pyrolysis.True pyrolysis is achieved in the absence of oxygen, whereas a gassifier still has some oxygen present throughout some, or all of the gasification process. The Oxygen plays an important part in the process and final outputs |
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