The influence of the conversion medium stream on the gasification process of olive pits

Abstract

The paper presents the results of research on gasification of olive pits and production of a generator gas with calorific value enabling its combustion in microturbines. Gasification was carried out in a laboratory gasification reactor, where the converting factor was air. The influence of the flow rate of its stream on the composition of the generator gas was investigated. The research involved searching for optimal process conditions for gasification of this biomass, to obtain a generator gas with an increased CH4 content (methane is the most calorific component).The air flow in subsequent tests was 0.5m3/h, 0.85m3 /h, 1.1m3/h,. 1.4m3/h 1.7m3/h. The quantitative composition of the generated generator gases differed. These conditions were obtained with an air flow of 1.4m3/h, in a tubular reactor, at the bed temperature T3= 456–462oC. A gas was obtained, with a calorific value of 9.2MJ/m3, characteristic for the following gas composition: H2=3.88%, CO=18.52%, CO2=6.27%, CH4=16.02%, O2=1.28%.