Experimental Studies on Downdraft Biomass Gasifier
Pratik N Shetha, B. V. Babub*
aLecturer, Chemical Engineering Group, Birla Institute of Technology and Science
(BITS), PILANI – 333 031 (Rajasthan) India; Email: pratik@bits-pilani.ac.in
bDean- Educational Hardware Division & Professor of Chemical Engineering
Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), PILANI – 333 031 (Rajasthan) India
Phone: +91-01596-245073 Ext. 259; Fax: +91-01596-244183
Email: bvbabu@bits-pilani.ac.in
Homepage: http://discovery.bits-pilani.ac.in/~bvbabu
* Corresponding Author:
Abstract
A process of conversion of solid carbonaceous fuel into combustible gas by partial
combustion is known as gasification. The resulting gas, known as producer gas, is more
versatile in its use than the original solid biomass. In the present study, a downdraft
biomass gasifier is used to carry out the gasification experiments with the waste
generated while making furniture in the carpentry section of the institute’s workshop.
Dalbergia sisoo, generally known as sesame wood or rose wood is mainly used in the
furniture and wastage of the same is used as a biomass material in the present gasification
studies. Experiments are carried out to study the effects of air flow rate and moisture
content on biomass consumption rate.
Keywords: biomass; bio-energy; gasification; producer gas; downdraft gasifier;
equivalence ratio.
Introduction
Biomass is the term used to describe all biologically produced matter and it is the name
given to all earth’s living matter [1]. It is a natural process that all biomass ultimately
decomposes to its molecules with the release of heat. And the combustion of biomass
imitates the natural process. So the energy obtained from biomass is a form of renewable
energy and it does not add carbon dioxide to the environment in contrast to the fossil
fuels [2]. The direct burning of biomass leads to the incomplete combustion of biomass,
which generates a concern among the environmentalist, as it ma