New concepts in biomass gasification

Gasification is considered as a key technology for the use of biomass. In order to promote this technology in the future, advanced, cost-effective, and highly efficient gasification processes and systems are required. This paper provides a detailed review on new concepts in biomass gasification. Concepts for process integration and combination aim to enable higher process efficiencies, better gas quality and purity, and lower investment costs. The recently developed UNIQUE gasifier which integrates gasification, gas cleaning and conditioning in one reactor unit is an example for a promising process integration. Other interesting concepts combine pyrolysis and gasification or gasification and combustion in single controlled stages. An approach to improve the economic viability and sustainability of the utilization of biomass via gasification is the combined production of more than one product. Poly-generation strategies for the production of multiple energy products from biomass gasification syngas offer high efficiency and flexibility. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.