Thermochemical conversion is a promising technology to generate producer gas (PG) from different types of agroforestry biomass residues. To use an existing open-core biomass gasifier for different feedstocks available in a agroforestry region, its viability must be studied systematically. Cocoa pod husk (CPH) is one of the promising agricultural wastes, widely available in tropical farmlands of hilly regions. In this study, a commercial 115 kW_th biomass gasifier is used in both numerical and experimental methods to find the potential of CPH as a feedstock. The moisture of CPH is varied from 5 to 25%, and the performance of gasifier is investigated for ER between 0.20 and 0.40. The results show that compositions of CO, H₂ and CH₄ in PG are 20–24%, 12.0–16.5% and 2.0–3.2%, respectively, for the tested conditions. The best equivalence ratio and moisture content are identified as 0.25 and 5%, respectively. The calorific value, conversion efficiency and cold gas efficiency are found as 6.13 MJ/Nm³, 82% and 68%, respectively. The predicted performance parameters and temperature distribution are compared with experimental values and literature. Thus, CPH is identified as a promising feedstock for an open-core gasifier.

Graphic abstract

中文翻译：

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开式气化炉中可可豆荚（Theobroma Cacoa）热化学气化潜能的数值和实验研究

热化学转化是一种有前途的技术，可以从不同类型的农林业生物质残渣中产生生产气（PG）。为了将现有的开核生物质气化炉用于农林业区域中可用的不同原料，必须系统地研究其可行性。可可荚果壳（CPH）是有前途的农业废弃物之一，在丘陵地区的热带农田中广泛使用。在这项研究中，在商业115千瓦_个生物质气化器在两个数值模拟和实验方法被用于找到CPH的作为原料的潜力。CPH的水分含量从5％到25％不等，研究了ER在0.20和0.40之间的气化炉性能。结果表明，CO，H ₂和CH _4的组成在测试条件下，PG中的总胆固醇分别为20–24％，12.0–16.5％和2.0–3.2％。最佳当量比和水分含量分别确定为0.25和5％。热值，转换效率和冷煤气效率被发现为6.13 MJ /牛顿米³分别为82％和68％。将预测的性能参数和温度分布与实验值和文献进行比较。因此，CPH被确定为开核气化炉的有前途的原料。

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