Volume 26: Closing Carbon Cycles – A Transformation Process Involving Technology, Economy, and Society: Part I

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Cocoa Pod Husk Gasification in a Fixed Bed Downdraft Gasifier Nii Nelson, Jo Darkwa, Mark Worall, John Calautit, Robert Mokaya

Abstract

Cocoa pod husk (CPH) has become a subject of research interest in Ghana because of its competitive energy density and abundance in rural communities. The composition of producer gas in a downdraft gasifier for CPH gasification is predicted using a thermodynamic equilibrium model presented in this research study. Experimental data from a 5kWe gasifier system burning cocoa pod husk was used to validate the thermodynamic model. Lower heating value (LHV), gas output, gasification efficiency, carbon conversion efficiency, engine conversion efficiency, and total biomass gasifier system efficiency were all measured. The carbon conversion efficiency was 75%, and the gasifier efficiency was 51%. Meanwhile, the gasifier system’s overall efficiency was low. However, it can be increased by eliminating all sources of heat loss.

Keywords gasification, cocoa pod husk, thermodynamic equilibrium model, downdraft gasifier