Investigation on the biomass gasification in a spouted bed reactor pilot plant

The aim of the present doctoral thesis is to investigate the application of an innovative square-based spouted bed reactor for the gasification of biomass. Biomass gasification has been chosen due to its increasing interest in South Tyrol (Italy) during the last years. The realization of the experimental apparatus has been performed in collaboration with Polytechnic of Turin and University of Genoa. The characterisation of the biomass has been performed in order to evaluate its physical-chemical and thermal properties. In particular, the residues from pruning of apple trees have been chosen due to their potentiality to produce energy and their availability in South Tyrol (Italy). The fluid dynamic properties of the device have been studied through CFD simulation with Ansys Fluent. The Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches have been utilised in 2D, 3D and pseudo 2D geometry. The obtained results have been used to obtain the optimum operational conditions of the spouted bed technology during gasification. Experimental campaigns in a spouted bed pilot plant of 20 kW thermal power have been carried out. The obtained outcomes represent one of the first results on biomass gasification using spouted bed reactors at pilot scale.