Preliminary Experimental Results and Modelling Study of Olive Kernel Gasification in a 2 MWth BFB Gasifier

Gasification is a promising and attractive thermochemical method for biomass-to-energy conversion, with fluidized bed reactors being one of the best options for large-scale operations. Olive residues in particular are potentially excellent candidate biomass fuels in the Mediterranean area, due to the region’s increased capacity in olive oil production. Herein, the gasification experiments of olive kernels in a 2 MWth air-blown, bubbling fluidized bed reactor located at CENER’s facilities (BIO2C) in Navarra, Spain are presented. Given the satisfactory experimental results, an Aspen Plus simulation model of the process was also attempted