The Process: Gasification, not Combustion

 

Combustion is an exothermic (heat releasing) reaction between a high carbon fuel and an oxidizer (a substance that supports combustion, usually oxygen) in which the fuel is burned to produce heat as an energy source.

 

Carbon fuel + Oxygen →Heat + Water + Carbon Dioxide

 

Gasification is an exothermic reaction between a high carbon fuel and a carefully controlled and limited supply of oxidizer, in which the fuel yields useful elemental and compound gases that can be made into other products. 

 Carbon fuel + Oxygen →Hydrogen + Carbon Monoxide (plus trace Water and Carbon Dioxide)

 

Why Bother with Gasification?

 While combustion releases various components of the original fuel and other discharge materials from the combustion process, gasification releases only combustible gas and inert gas.  This means that the exhaust from the gasification process of biomass is composed of only the same elements which would be generated if the fuel material were allowed to degrade in nature.   This allows for a very speedy permitting and siting process. 

Even the gasification of coal or petroleum products can be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner since the syn gas produced is either combusted in a boiler or in an electric power generator. The resulting emissions are controlled by the energy process used. Rather than discharged to the atmosphere up a chimney. 

 When heat is the primary output of the system the revenue stream is derived from the sale of heat, hot air, steam or other methods of conveyance of the product heat to the customer.

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