Indirectly-heated biomass gasification using latent-heat ballasting of a fluidized reactor

The objective of this study is to improve heating value and methane content of gas produced from biomass gasification. This project investigates a latent-heat ballasted, indirectly-heated gasifier. The latent-heat ballast consists of metal alloy with melting point close to the desired gasification temperature. The ballast allows a single reactor to sustain pyrolysis without oxygen addition by storing energy during periods of combustion and releasing stored energy during periods of pyrolysis. Tests were performed to evaluate the heat transfer and gasification characteristics of the ballasted reactor.