Modelling of gasification of organic waste in thermal-plasma chemical reactors

The paper presents the latest numerical simulations of gasification of wood particles and sewage sludge in two different thermal-plasma chemical reactors using either a unique DC-plasma torch stabilized by argon and water vortex or DC-plasma air torches. Numerical results of gasification and syngas production from crushed wood show that high syngas content (∼90%) was achieved for all studied currents (400–600 A) and wood particle diameters (0.2 mm – 20 mm). The CO and H2 molar fractions for three different particle diameters for 400 A obtained by modelling at the exhaust outlet are in reasonably good agreement with the experimental values (CO–0.6, H2–0.3). The gasification of sewage sludge by air plasma torches generate syngas of a lower quality (∼42%) due to a high nitrogencontent in air.