Methodology for the Optimization fo Biomass Gasification Power Plants

Biomass is a plenty fuel in several regions of the world. Particularly in Brazil biomass contributes to 22% of the primary sources. However, its role in electric power generation is not fulfilled in accordance with its availability, being the sugar cane bagasse the residue most used for this application. Besides the biomass found in the form of residues, there is that specifically cultivated to serve as fuel, the so called energy forests. The availability of high productive land in Brazil, due the privileged weather, is, doubtless, a great incentive to the production of alternative and renewable fuel sources, such as alcohol and biodiesel. This work presents an optimization method to be applied in the preliminary design of biomass fuelled power plants which are going to use energy forests as fuel source. The method is based on that presented by Prasertsan and Krukanont, (2003), which has been developed for a direct biomass firing plant. In addition to carry out a preliminary analysis of the economic feasibility of the plant, the method shown in this paper allows the user to analyze the influence of the carbon credits on the investment.

Sandro Barros Ferreira, Eloi Fernandez y Fernandez, Sergio Leal Braga, Ailton M. Vieira