Performance evaluation of an agricultural residue-based modular throat-type down-draft gasifier for thermal application

A 125 kg h(-1) biomass gasifier of modular design was developed at the Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute (SPRERI) and tested on the thermal mode to test the concept. Based on these studies, a scaled-up 375 kg h(-1) modular throat type, down-draft gasifier system was designed, developed and tested. The performance of the two systems is discussed in this paper. The smaller gasifier when tested at a wood consumption rate of 55 kg h(-1) gave a gas calorific value of 4.24 MJ N m(-3) and cold gas gasification efficiency of 63%. The larger gasifier system was operated for about 50 h using agro-residues briquettes at gas flow rates of 213 and 278 N m(3) h(-1). The cold gas efficiency was in the range of 70-73%. The gasifier was also operated at a gas flow rate of 460 N m(3) h(-1) using wood as feedstock at a cold gas efficiency of 71%. The gasifier system was also tested continuously for 10 h without any problem and it produced good quality of gas consistently. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.