Modeling an integrated system for the enhancement of viticulture residues for the production of biogenic hydrogen

This work presents a comprehensive simulation model for the conversion of viticulture residues into hydrogen through biomass gasification. Developed in MATLAB-Simulink, the model integrates all stages of the valorization chain, from biomass preprocessing to syngas upgrading and hydrogen purification. The system enables mass and energy balance analyses and supports optimization of key parameters such as Air-to-Fuel Ratio (AFR), Steam-to-Fuel Ratio (SFR), and oxygen enrichment. Simulation results for vine prunings show hydrogen yields of 0.53 Nm 3 /kg with over 90% purity and potential CO 2 emission reductions of 772 tons per year for a reference case study that use 3387 tons per year of vine prunings, confirming the environmental benefits of this carbon-negative pathway. The proposed tool demonstrates strong predictive capabilities and can support the design and optimization of decentralized renewable hydrogen production plants based on agricultural residues. • Model developed in MATLAB-Simulink for biomass-to-hydrogen systems. • Vine prunings yield 0.53 Nm³ H 2 /kg with over 90% purity. • Optimized AFR 1.3, SFR 0.5, O 2 31.5% for best H 2 production. • Integrated model enables full mass, energy, and CO 2 balance. • Process achieves 772 t CO 2 eq/year avoided—carbon-negative route.