Review of Biomass Gasifiers: A Multi-Criteria Approach

Gasification of residual biomass has emerged as an efficient thermochemical conversion process, applicable to a wide range of uses, such as electricity generation; chemical manufacturing; and the production of liquid biofuels, BioSNG (biomass-based synthetic natural gas), and hydrogen. Thus, gasification of biomass residues not only constitutes an important contribution toward decarbonizing the economy but also promotes the efficient utilization of renewable resources. Although a variety of gasification technologies are available, there are no clear guidelines for selecting the type of gasifier appropriate depending on the feedstock and the desired downstream products. Herein, we propose a gasifier classification model based on an extensive literature review, combined with a multi-criteria decision-making approach. A comprehensive and up-to-date literature review was conducted to gain a thorough understanding of the current state of knowledge in biomass gasification. The different features of the different types of gasifiers, in the context of biomass gasification, are presented and compared. The gasifiers were reviewed and evaluated considering criteria such as processing capacity, syngas quality, process performance, feedstock flexibility, operational and capital costs, environmental impact, and specific equipment features. A multi-criteria classification methodology was evaluated for assessing biomass gasifiers. A case study of such methodology was a applied to determine the best gasifiers for BioSNG inclusion in the natural gas distribution system in a small-scale scenario. Validation was conducted by comparing the matrix findings with commercially implemented gasification projects worldwide.