Simulation Models of Biomass Thermochemical Conversion Processes, Gasification and Pyrolysis, for the Prediction of the Energetic Potential

The aim of this study is to present three novel numerical thermodynamic equilibrium models (TEs), which predict the chemical composition of the gas and the bio-oil yield, produced by a biomass gasification or pyrolysis process. These models, namely, CHEM_Gas and MAT_Gas for simulating the gasification processes and CHEM_PyRO for simulating the pyrolysis processes. These models have been developed using ChemCAD software and Matlab. The validation of such TEs has been carried out through the comparison with experimental process of gasification/pyrolysis processes conducted on different biomasses. The results of simulations showed a good agreement with the experimental chemical composition of the pyrolysis/gasification producer gas. The CHEM_Pyro model calculates the bio-oil and char yields, too. The simulations indicate that the bio-oil yield increases when the process temperature increases, whereas char yield decreases in accordance with the char gasification process promoted by the rise of the temperature. Globally, it is possible to affirm that the proposed models are useful for simulating gasification/pyrolysis process of biomasses, providing suitable information for the design and optimization of such process in function of the operative temperatures.