NORD-SYNGAS
Biomass Gasification Fundamentals to Support
the Development of BTL in Forest Industry
Antero Moilanen, Jere Lehtinen, Mirja Muhola, Minna Kurkela & Sanna Tuomi
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, email: firstname.lastname@vtt.fi
Project duration 2010-2013
Budget 17.4 million NOK
Partners
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
ETC Energy Technology Centre in Piteå, Sweden
LTU Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
SINTEF Sintef Energy Research, Norway
Aim
Deals with the development of
fluidised bed and entrained-flow
gasification of biomass residues
and black liquor
Objectives:
 The fate of alkali metals and other inorganic species in the conditions of
pressurised fluidised-bed and entrained flow gasification
 New data on fuel pyrolysis and reactivity in the conditions of fluidised bed and
entrained-flow gasification, incorporate data in the reactor modelling
 The fate of inorganic species with regards to fouling in gas coolers, to the
removal efficiency in hot gas filtration and with respect to slag formation in
entrained flow gasifiers
 System studies on BTL integrated to forest industry
 Seminars between gasification researchers
WP1. Experimental studies and modelling of pressurised fluidised-bed
gasification of biomass fuels (VTT, SINTEF-ER)




The thermogravimetric measurements at VTT and SINTEF-ER
Bark pellets, wood pellets, pine bark, forest residue
The reactivity of bark and wood decreased with the increase of pressure in CO2 gasification
A reaction model for char gasification has been developed (DOI10.1016/j.cej.2012.07.025)
WP2. Studies on entrained-flow gasification of black liquor and woody biomass
(ETC, LTU)
Thermobalance (VTT)
 Characterization of particles during Pressurized Entrained Flow Biomass Gasification (PEBG )
 Experimental method for heating of biomass particles by laser and in-situ observation by a highspeed camera
 High Resolution-Transition Electron Microscope investigation of syngas particles
WP3. Fate of inorganic species during gasification, gas cooling and filtration
(SINTEF-ER , VTT, LTU)
 The samples from interrupted thermobalance tests were analysed by chemical fractionation and
microscopy (VTT, SINTEF).
 Deposits, ash samples and residues from pressurised entrained-flow gasification have been
characterized with SEM-EDS during trials in an O2-blown pilot-scale reactor (LTU).
WP4. System studies on biomass-to-liquids integrated to forest industry (LTU)
 A gasification system model, from fuel pre-treatment process to methanol synthesis, using
ASPEN Plus for energy and material balance calculations, has been developed
 Three system cases involving PEGB for methanol production have been analysed in terms of
overall energy efficiency and process economics.
WoodElectricity Wood Wood Electricity
Steam
P&P
Bark
Bark boiler
Paper Electricity
Wood Electricity Wood Electricity
PEB
G
P&P
MeOHDistrict
heating
Case A: Stand alone
PEBG
Steam
Off-gas
Off-gas PEB
G
Bark
PaperTall Electricity MeOH
oil
Case B: Integrated
PEBG
WoodElectricity Wood Electricity
P&P
BL
Steam PEB
G/BL
GL
Off-gas G
PaperTall Electricity MeOH
oil
Case C: Integrated PEBG and
BLG
Schematic description of studied system cases (WP4)
Molten structure of ash in char wood
pellet, gasified in 10 bar CO2 at 850
°C to the char conversion of 65%.
(WP3)
Additional information: antero.moilanen@vtt.fi
Ca-rich particles in pine bark char
gasified in 1 bar steam at 850 ° C
to 80% char conversion.