Thermodynamic Analysis of Biomass Gasification Using Aspen Plus: Comparison of Stoichiometric and Non-Stoichiometric Models

The gasification process involves several reactions that occur simultaneously and are interrelated by several independent variables. Simulation tools can help us to understand the process behaviour and predict the efficiency and final composition of the products. In this work, two thermodynamic equilibrium models developed in Aspen Plus(R) software were assessed: a non-stoichiometric model based on the feedstock composition and on the most probable compounds expected from the results of the gasification process using minimisation of Gibbs free energy and a stoichiometric model based on a set of chemical reactions considered as the most relevant to describe the gasification process. Both models were validated with experimental data from a bubbling fluidised bed semi-pilot scale gasifier using pine kernel shells (PKS) as feedstock. The influence of temperature, stoichiometric ratio (SR) and steam to biomass ratio (SBR) were analysed. Overall, predictions of the gas composition and gasification efficiency parameters by the stoichiometric model showed better agreement to the experimental results. Our results point out the significance of an accurate description of the equilibrium composition of producer gas with the stoichiometric model for the gasification of biomass.