Electric field control of biomass gasification

The aim of this study is to investigate the DC electric field effect on biomass gasification to provide effective control of processes developing at thermal decomposition of pelletized renewable fuels under oxygen rich conditions (a ≈ 0.06-0.12) and controllable production of combustible volatiles (CO, H₂), which can be used as a fuel for energy production. Experimental investigations of the DC electric field effect on the biomass thermal decomposition in a batch-size pilot gasifier were carried out using a single electrode configuration and a fixed air supply (∼0.32 g·s^-1). The bias voltage of an electrode, which is axially inserted through a biomass layer, can be varied from U = 0 to U = +2.4 kV, whereas the current in the space between the electrodes is limited to 2 mA. The results of complex spectral measurements and analysis of the produced gas composition evidence the field-enhanced thermal decomposition of biomass with the field-enhanced production of the axial flow of main gasification products CO, H₂, CH₄ and unsaturated hydrocarbons (C₂H₂, C₂H₄, etc.). The field-enhanced variations of the composition of the produced gas and heat effects are analyzed considering the field effect on the operation conditions of the biomass gasification.