Estudo experimental de um reator de gaseificação em um leito fixo de açaí

Abstract

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.