Optimization of Slag Mobility of Biomass Fuels in a Pilot-scale Entrained-Flow Gasifier

The bioliq (R) process, developed at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, aims at the production of synthetic fuels and chemicals from biomass. The bioliq (R) technology is based on a two-step process with decentral pyrolysis for the production of a transportable slurry from residual biomass and the central entrained-flow gasification of the slurry by using biomass-to-liquid technology. This study is focused on the slag, which is formed by melting the inorganic ash components during gasification. To operate the gasifier smoothly, a range of desired viscosity has to be defined. A structure-based viscosity model was used to predict the viscosity of the slags at the gasifier outlet. A good agreement between experimental and calculated viscosities is achieved for fully liquid slag systems.