Comparison of Models Used to Predict the Gas Composition of Mixtures Produces by Gasification of Wax Palm Husk Using Air-Steam for Partial Oxidation

Abstract

There are eleven species of wax palm in South America which produce a great amount of biomass per year (∼590 ton/ha). This biomass has not any commercial value and can cause a negative impact on the environment if waste handling systems and storage and treatment structures are not accurately controlled. However, this biomass can serve as feedstock for thermal gasification (partial oxidation and pyrolysis) to produce gaseous and liquid fuels. The current paper presents results on modeling studies to predict the gas composition of mixtures produced by gasification of wax palm husk (WPH) using air–steam for partial oxidation. The parameters investigated by equilibrium model are equivalence ratio and steam-fuel ratio. With the predicted composition of gases, the high heating value was estimated. Atom model was used for comparison purposes. Also, a kinetics model of the pyrolysis of WPH is presented. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to estimate the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor of Arrhenius equation. The results suggest that it is possible to produce gaseous fuels with concentrations of H2 ranging from 5 to 30%, CO from 10 to 19%, and CH4 from 0 to 4%. The activation energy estimated with kinetics model was estimated to be 143.07 kJ mol−1.