Power generation potential and assessment of producer gas quality from blended rubber shell and palm kernel shell in open core downdraft gasifier

P. Marshal Raj; M. Gerald Arul Selvan

doi:10.1515/ijcre-2024-0121

Article

Power generation potential and assessment of producer gas quality from blended rubber shell and palm kernel shell in open core downdraft gasifier

P. Marshal Raj and M. Gerald Arul Selvan

Published/Copyright: March 11, 2025

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From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 23 Issue 2

Abstract

The process which converts carbon-enriched material like phytomass, biowaste, etc. into combustible gas i.e., producer gas is known as gasification. It provides a certain amount of gasifying agent. The increase in energy requirement needs sustainable environmental-friendly sustainable energy sources. Thus biomass is a renewable energy source that is less in pollution and serves as the best backup. In this study, the mixed rubber shell and palm kernel shell as the input feed in the weighing ratios of 3:1 were used in gasification. The agent used in the gasification process was air in the open-core downdraft gasifiers. In the experiment setup, the equivalence ratio (ø) varies in the range of 0.187–0.269. Finally, maximal power was determined as 63.796 kW having a feed rate of 38.9 kg/h at the equivalence ratio of 0.269. Thus experiment results show maximum cold gas efficiency (CGE) and calorific value of PG which is 87.6 % and 6.6332 MJ/m³ at the equivalence ratio of 0.242. The highest values of CH4 and H2 of Producer Gas were 21.5  and 17 %. Also, phytomass consumption rates, PG flow rates, Producer Gas (PG) heating values, gas compositions, and efficiency of cold gas were evaluated in evaluating the gasifier performance. The producer generated by gasification of blended rubber shell – palm kernel shell was rich in constituents having many uses in generating power and also in fuel production. In agricultural majority nations, wastes from agriculture were not regularly maintained, therefore causing environmental pollution which disturbs the ecological system. Therefore, the present study recommends the appropriate usage of agricultural wastes effectively.

Keywords: gasifier; biomass; rubber shell; palm kernel shell; feedstock; gasification

Corresponding author: P. Marshal Raj, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jai Shriram Engineering College, Tiruppur, India, E-mail: marshalraj514@gmail.com

Research ethics: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: Not applicable.
Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: No funding is provided for the preparation of manuscript.
Data availability: No new data generated nor data analyzed in this study.

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Received: 2024-06-13

Accepted: 2025-02-22

Published Online: 2025-03-11

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2024-0121

Keywords for this article

gasifier; biomass; rubber shell; palm kernel shell; feedstock; gasification