The fate of inorganic constituents of biomass in fluidized bed gasification

Bagasse and four banagrass fuels with different inorganic fractions were gasified in a bench-scale fluidized bed at a nominal equivalence ratio of 0.3, reactor temperature of 800 degrees C and atmospheric pressure. The gasifier output stream was characterized for permanent gas species, ammonia, condensable hydrocarbon species, char content and composition, and gas-phase inorganic species concentrations. Gas-phase concentrations of K, Na and Ca exceeded combustion turbine fuel specifications. Si, Fe, P, and Cl were also present in the gas phase. Significant amounts of inorganic fuel constituents were retained in the fluidized bed, dispersed over the surface of the bed particles. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.