Author : C. Mohan Raj and P.K. Srividhya

The gassifier unit at Periyar Maniammai University, India has been active since 2003 using the CFD Simulation the performance analysis were studied using the 20 Kw Down Draft Thermo gasifier. The complete model was created in GAMBIT and simulated in ANSYS FLUENT. The entire simulation work was done through species transport phenomena. The fluent coal model was modified based on proximate and ultimate analysis of wood. The process parameters were bulk density of wood chips (porosity) and velocity of oxidizer inlet. The porosity was varied at 0.525, 0.485 and 0.439.At porosity 0.525, efficient temperature distribution was obtained. Also the oxidizer velocity was varied between 3m/s and 13 m/s (3, 4, 5, 7,9,11 and 13m/s).The maximum temperature reached in gasifier was increased marginally with increase of oxidizer velocity. But the temperature distribution was not good enough with increase in oxidizer velocity. It was found that there is more amount of unburned fuel at velocities 11m/s and 13m/s.

Keywords: Gasification; CFD simulation; Bulk density; Oxidizer velocity

Article published in International Journal of Current  Engineering  and Technology, Vol.3,No.1 (March- 2013)