Fluidised-bed gasification of torrefied biomass

In a national TKI Biobased Economy project, industry and academia have joined forces to boost the market implematation of torrefaction technology and torrefied products. Torrefaction combined with densification is a new technology to upgrade biomass into a solid commodity fuel with favourable properties such as a high energy density, good water resistance and good flowability. The TU Delft contribution to the project will focus on assessing the prospects of torrefied biomass in gasification applications. Activities will comprise both experimental work and a system assessment study in close collaboration with the other project partners, ECN in particular.

The project's activities consist of:

1. Experimental assessment of the fluidised-bed gasification behaviour of torrefied biomass, with particular focus on the impact of torrefaction on the gasifier product gas composition. Experiments will be conducted in the 100 kWth circulating-fluidised-bed gasifier at TU Delft and in the 5 kWth bubbling-fluidised-bed gasifier at ECN with torrefied biomass supplied by project partners Biolake, ECN and Torr-Coal.

2. Desk study assessing the techno-economic prospects of torrefaction and small-scale gasification for distributed combined heat & power production.     

Chair:
Large-Scale Energy Storage

Involved People:
Prof.dr.ir. J.H.A. (Jaap) Kiel (TNO)
Prof.Dr.ir. Wiebren de Jong (TUD)

Facilities used:
BFB gasifier