Project outcome
- Beneficiation of bagasse to solid fuel and heat to lower GHG and Sulphur emissions from combustion and gasification processes
Focus areas
- Investigation of both the liquefaction and gasification/combustion processes to elucidate the best product to produce syngas while also focusing on lower Sulphur emissions during the gasification/combustion processes
Liquefaction and gasification of biomass are established routes to the production of fuels and chemicals, but still present some technical challenges. Briquetting or pelletising of biomass in combination with coal fines is considered to possess several advantages, including reduction of sulfur emissions from coal. This project has investigated various methods of producing bio char/coal pellets that could be used firstly as low sulfur fuel for more efficient use of bagasse and coal fines, and ultimately as a gasification feedstock for production of chemicals. A briquette of a mix of 75% bagasse bio char and 25% coal dust yielded higher strength, improved reactivity and lower emissions than briquetted coal or other bio char: coal mixtures.
Prof. Sanette Marx
Bio-Energy Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, North-West University