Technoeconomic Analysis of Biomass Gasification System Utilizing Geothermal Energy for Processing

The use of biomass as a source of energy has been studied extensively inrecent years, and special attention has been paid to biomass gasification. In this study, ASPEN Plus is used to conduct technoeconomic analysis of a large biomass gasification system. A biorefinery scenario consisting of 2,000 dry metric tonnes per day of corn stover was developed using the model. In the original setup, steam is purchased and used in various processes. In this study, we explore the use of geothermal energy by substituting the purchased steam  with steam derived from geothermal resources. Geothermal energy is in in theform of steam with temperature of 150°C. The flow rate of the geothermalsteam is in the range of 40 to 60 kg/sec and the cost is estimated at $3 – $7/MMBTU. This technoeconomic analysis assesses the use of geothermal steam instead of the purchased steam for various processes. Results are reported including the feasibility of the process, product characteristics, and the technical and economic aspects of using geothermal steam for biomass gasification system.