A Gibbs energy minimization study on the biomass gasification process for methanol synthesis

ABSTRACT

In this work the optimum ratio of syngas components and the optimum temperature, pressure, equivalence ratio and moisture content for different types of biomass are investigated for methanol synthesis according to the Gibbs free energy minimization calculations. Our results show the yield of methanol synthesis may be solely determined by the $R_1=H_2/\left(2CO+3C{O}_2\right)$ ratio in long ranges of temperature, pressure, $R_{\frac{H_2}{CO}}$ and $R_{\frac{{CO}_2}{CO}}$. So, the produced syngas quality in the biomass gasification was evaluated according to the R₁ parameter for 86 varieties of biomass. Herein, a new optimum temperature for the gasification process is defined and it is shown that this temperature, which is always preferred for commercial processing, is 800 and 1100 °C in 1 and 70 atm, respectively. Some of the best biomass varieties for methanol synthesis include mustard husks, tamarack bark, greenhouse-plastic waste and meat-bone meal; the first one shows the highest H₂/CO ratio.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomass
• gasification
• Gibbs free energy
• methanol synthesis
• syngas

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.