The reactor is an atmospheric bubbling fluidized bed with a bed 150 mm in diameter, 1.4 m in height and a ‘freeboard’ 250 mm in diameter and 2.5 m in height. It has a nominal capacity to treat 15 kg/h of biomass and is designed to operate on air, steam, oxygen and mixes of these. The reactor also has a 45 kWe oven.
The plant’s instrumentation is designed to monitor the process very precisely using many temperature and pressure measurements, as well as variables in the process such as input air flow, gas outflow and secondary air. In addition, intermittent measurement of particles and gaseous contaminants is carried out (NH3, HCN, H2S y HCl) as well as sampling of solid effluent in the bed (from overflow and in the lower part) and cyclones. Measuring and complete characterization of the tars generated during the gasification process are also conducted.
During the use of the plant, necessary knowledge for the design, operation and scaling of the gasification process for a large number of biomass and wastes such as olive oil mill residues, wood, meat and bone meal (MBM), wastewater treatment plant sludge, municipal solid waste, etc was acquired.
