Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

Biomass Gasification; Downdraft Fixed Bed Gasifier; Energy; Scale-up; Six-Sigma

Abstract

"This thesis mainly focuses on design and process development of a downdraft biomass gasification processes. The objective is to develop a gasifier and process of gasification for a continuous steady state process. A lab scale downdraft gasifier was designed to develop the process and obtain optimum operating procedure.

Sustainable and dependable sources such as biomass are potential sources of renewable energy and have a reasonable motivation to be used in developing a small scale energy production plant for countries such as Canada where wood stocks are more reliable sources than fossil fuels. This thesis addresses the process of thermal conversion of biomass gasification process in a downdraft reactor. Downdraft biomass gasifiers are relatively cheap and easy to operate because of their design. We constructed a simple biomass gasifier to study the steady state process for different sizes of the reactor. The experimental part of this investigation look at how operating conditions such as feed rate, air flow, the length of the bed, the vibration of the reactor, height and density of syngas flame in combustion flare changes for different sizes of the reactor. These experimental results also compare the trends of tar, char and syngas production for wood pellets in a steady state process.

This study also includes biomass gasification process for different wood feedstocks. It compares how shape, size and moisture content of different feedstocks makes a difference in operating conditions for the gasification process. For this, Six Sigma DMAIC techniques were used to analyze and understand how each feedstock makes a significant impact on the process"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Smith, Joseph D.

Committee Member(s)

Ludlow, Douglas K.
Rownaghi, Ali

Department(s)

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Chemical Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Fall 2016

Pagination

ix, 68 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 65-67).

Rights

© 2016 Sai Chandra Teja Boravelli

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Biomass gasification -- Design and construction
Biomass conversion
Six sigma (Quality control standard)

Thesis Number

T 11013

Electronic OCLC #

974715195

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