Experimental investigation on a jet impingement scrubber to clean producer gas from biomass gasifier

ABSTRACT

One of the greatest issues facing the globe today is the production of hazardous waste products and producer gas (PG) from biomass gasification. PG must be cleaned of tar and other solid pollutants because it is frequently utilized to produce energy in the thermal and power sectors. PG from biomass is a great source for renewable energy, but it contains tar and particulate matter (T&P). Hence, treatment method of T&P is very important. Downdraft biomass gasifier is a thermo-chemical conversion method which minimizes the quantity of T&P to tolerable limit. The present work aims to achieve an effective gas cleaning using jet impingement scrubber to clean PG from biomass gasifier before entering it to an engine or burner applications. The development of jet impingement scrubber is to produce fine mist to capture very fine T&P in PG cleaning. The downdraft biomass gasifier was used to gasify the silver oak wood pieces of 2 to 6 kg/h. A maximum pressure drop of water level was observed 62 mm for jet impingement scrubber correspondingly the cleaned PG flow rate was 0.00338 m³/s. Particle removal efficiency of the jet impingement scrubber her been determined to be 75%. The concentration of T&P sampling apparatus was constructed as per European CEN standard. Tars absorbed on the particles are extracted using isopropanol by gravimetric analysis (g/m³) in PG. The particulate matter present in PG was collected by thimble filter. The concentration of T&P content obtained at jet impingement scrubber exit is 1.2 g/m³ and 0.85 g/m³. After cleaning the PG with jet impingement scrubber, the PG was burnt in a burner. The temperature of the cleaned PG increased by removing moisture to 240–310°C as it burned with a nice blue flame.

KEYWORDS:

• Renewable energy
• thermo- chemical conversion
• jet impingement scrubber
• producer gas
• tar

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kader S

Kader S, Research scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Puducherry Technological University, Puducherry, India.

Kumararaja L

Kumararaja L, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Puducherry Technological University, Puducherry, India.