Abstract:
Pyrolysis and gasification of biomass is considered to be the promising alternative solutions for the increase of energy demand and environmental awareness. Pyroysis process produces a variety of chemicals by limited degradation and gasification process leads to complete breakdown of the biomass into permanent gases. By gasification, solid biomass is converted into a combustible gas mixture normally called “Producer Gas” consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, with lesser amounts of carbon dioxide, water,
methane, higher hydrocarbons, nitrogen and particulates.
Whereas the pyrolysis process produces a mainly three types of
products: solid (charcoal), liquid (tar and other organics) and
gaseous products. In the present study, Jatropha de-oiled cake
is taken as a biomass. The pyrolysis and gasification
experiments are carried out for comparing the results. The
biomass is pyrolyzed in a fixed bed reactor in a Nitrogen
environment as well used to produce the producer gas in a fixed
bed downdraft biomass gasifier.