Comparative analysis of syngas production from 11 different biomass feedstocks in a fixed-bed downdraft gasifier

Abstract

This study compares syngas production from 11 biomass types, including algae, canola residue, chicken manure, pig manure, municipal solid waste, sewage sludge, wood chips, wheat straw, food waste, empty fruit bunch, and sunflower residue, using a fixed-bed downdraft gasifier. The gasification process is simulated in Aspen Plus V12.1 to analyze the effects of biomass composition, reactor temperature, air-to-fuel ratio, and oxidizing agent on syngas characteristics. The results indicate that biomass composition significantly affects the heating value, with variations of up to twofold between feedstocks. Increasing reactor temperature decreases hydrogen and carbon dioxide while increasing carbon monoxide. The optimal temperature for maximizing hydrogen yield ranges from 619 °C for pig manure to 755 °C for wheat straw. Empty fruit bunch produces the highest hydrogen content (30 vol %), while pig manure yields the lowest (16 vol %). Solid residue formation varies, with sewage sludge leaving the highest (11 wt %) and sunflower residue the lowest (0.39 wt %). These findings optimize biomass gasification for efficient hydrogen production and highlight the significance of feedstock comparison in advancing sustainable energy solutions.