GASIFICATION OF COAL-PETCOKE-BIOMASS BLENDS

Gasification is one efficient alternative of producing fuel syngas by converting
coal or wastes into useful biofuels. This process has been widely used in the last three
centuries especially in energy and chemical applications. In this research we have
focussed in optimizing the gasification parameters when using coal, petroleum coke
and biomass as fuel to produce syngas. The gasification tests for coal and fuel blends
were conducted using Atmospheric Bubbling Fluidized Bed Gasifier (ABFG) in
controlled Equivalence Ratio (ER) and air as fluidizing agent. From the earlier fuel
characterization studies done, it is seen that biomass has the highest volatile matter
but differ principally for their fixed carbon content which coal has the highest fixed
carbon and ash content compared to these three fuels. The gasification process was
then modelled using thermodynamic equilibrium model method and simulated with
Aspen HYSYS 2004.1 simulation software.