Effects of Binary and Ternary Biomass Blending on Updraft Gasification Performance, Syngas Composition, and Flame Characteristics

The increasing global energy demand and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels have intensified interest in renewable energy, particularly biomass. Agricultural residues such as rice husk (RH), corn cob (CC), and reed biomass (RB) are abundant resources that can be converted into energy through gasification. This study aimed to compare the gasification performance and flame characteristics of these feedstocks and their binary and ternary blends and to identify conditions for improved performance. Experiments were conducted using a fixed-bed updraft gasifier with a constant feedstock mass of 1 kg per run. RH was used in its raw form, whereas CC and RB were ground to 10–30 mm. Airflow rates ranged from 1.8 to 2.8 m³/h by adjusting blower speed. Flame characteristics were analyzed from digital images using ImageJ. CC showed the highest gasification efficiency (72.8%) and gas yield (2.65 Nm³/kg), whereas RH showed the lowest values (61.4% and 2.10 Nm³/kg), attributed to its high ash content. Blending improved performance, with the RH+CC+RB mixture achieving the highest efficiency (74.8%) and gas yield (2.80 Nm³/kg). The ternary blend also produced higher CO (24.9%) and H₂ (21.7%) and lower CO₂ (11.3%), with a strong blue flame, maximum blue flame intensity of 82.6%, and flame temperature of 980 °C. These findings demonstrate that feedstock blending can enhance biomass gasification and syngas combustion performance.