Simulation of a Small Scale Biowaste Gasification System for Energy Production

• Main Author: Safarianbana, Sahar
• Other Authors: Rúnar Unnþórsson, Iðnaðarverkfræði-, vélaverkfræði- og tölvunarfræðideild (HÍ), Faculty of Industrial Eng., Mechanical Eng. and Computer Science (UI), Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ), School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI), Háskóli Íslands, University of Iceland
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Iceland, School of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science 2021
• Subjects: Lífrænn úrgangur; Gaskennd efni; Orkuframleiðsla; Líkön; Vélaverkfræði; Doktorsritgerðir; Blönduós; Vestfirðir; Vestmannaeyjar; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2548

Several waste incinerators in Iceland were closed down in 2011/2012 due to environmental problems and health concerns. To date no cost effective and environmentally acceptable replacement has been found for disposing of the waste that was combusted at these facilities up to 2012. As a result, large amounts of waste have been transported by ferry and road to be landfilled or incinerated hundreds of kilometers away (for example routes include from Vestmannaeyjar to Reykjavik or even in some cases Blönduós, with similar long journeys in other remote locations, for example Vestfirðir). The aim of this PhD project was to take steps towards adapting a greener solution developed elsewhere for waste disposal to Iceland. The process is called gasification which is a waste-to-energy technology. The challenges for waste gasification are its adaption to the Icelandic scale, using waste as feedstock and determining operational parameters. Downscaling must be done while still eliminating the pollution problems of incinerators and the cost constraints of small-scale plants. To overcome these challenges, the experimental and pilot work at the University in Iceland was conducted by modeling and simulation. Described in this thesis is the following modelling and simulation work: An integrated small-scale gasification system with power production unit was simulated by using ASPEN Plus. This model helps to understand under what conditions and in which ways the system can operate. The system’s model was used to analyze and assess the potential of adapting gasification-based waste to power systems for conditions in Iceland. The analysis and assessment includes techno-economic and environmental perspectives. The project’s contribution to the field of gasification is the knowledge regarding simulation of small-scale gasifiers as well as the assessment of their performance and various operating parameters. This knowledge is valuable for developing gasification solutions for smaller communities that have similar waste streams and waste ...