BOOSTER

The biomass entrained flow gasifier BOOSTER (biomass pilOt-Scale enTrained flow gasifiER) is an industrial-like test plant for the investigation of the gasification behavior of raw and untreated biomass. The biomass is finely ground (<0.3 mm) and brought into the reactor chamber by a pneumatic dense phase system through a swirl burner. The swirl burner ensures effective mixing of gasification agents such as air, oxygen, steam or carbon dioxide.

The plant has a thermal load of up to 200 kW and can be operated to up to 5 barg. The reaction chamber has a diameter of 250 mm and a length of about 1.8 m. The entire system is refractory lined for thermal insulation while wall temperatures of up to 1600 °C are reached. The hot synthesis gas is cooled to 50 °C after the reaction chamber in a water quench. Afterwards, it passes a heated particle filter and is burned in a flare.

In order to take gas and particle samples, a height-adjustable sampling probe is installed in the middle of the reaction chamber. The gas is then analyzed in an online gas analyzer (NDIR, TCD, paramagnetic sensor) and a humidity sensor for the main gas components CO, CO₂, H₂, O₂, CH₄, H₂O and N₂. In addition, a GC-TCD is installed for additional measurement of C2Hx components. Tars are taken from a heated side port via the SPA method and later analyzed in a GC-FID. Additional analyzers and measuring methods are available to quantify HCN, NH₃, H₂S, NO_x and HCl. The particles are taken out with a filter and can then be analyzed in the laboratory for particle development and gasification kinetics.

The system has different burners for air and oxygen operation. The oxygen burner COxy offers the possibility of varying burner parameters such as the oxygen swirl and the outflow velocity, thus enabling studies on flame stability under different operating parameters. The flame can be observed with a flame camera.