Proposals for power generation based on processes consuming biomass-glycerol slurries

A preliminary theoretical feasibility study on the application of new concepts for thermoelectric power generation consuming biomass mixed with glycerol has been completed. Two main alternatives (A and B) have been envisage. At Configuration A, wet sugar-cane bagasse (SCB) is dried at atmospheric pressure. From that, the biomass is mixed with raw glycerol to obtain a high dry-solid content slurry, which is pumped into the gasifier. This greatly simplifies the feeding of particulate solids into pressurized vessels, which otherwise would require costly and cumbersome series of lock hoppers operating sequentially. The produced gas is cleaned to bring the particle content and size as well alkaline concentration within the acceptable limits for injections into standard gas turbines. At Configuration B, the wet SCB is mixed directly with raw glycerol and pumped into the gasifier, therefore dispensing the drying phase. Optimizations of the gasifier characteristics and air injection rates have been conducted having the exergetic efficiency as objective function. In both cases, the complete power generation concepts are optimized aiming the maximization of respective 1st Law efficiencies.