Archive | 2019
Matter of modelling in thermochemical conversion processes of biomass
Abstract
Modeling is a complex task combining elements of knowledge in the field of computer science, mathematics and natural sciences (fluid dynamics, mass and heat transfer, chemistry). In order to correctly model the process of biomass thermal degradation, in-depth knowledge of multi-scale unit processes is necessary. The biomass processing model can be divided into three main subparts depending on the scale of unit processes: molecular, single particle model and reactor model. Molecular models describe the chemical changes in biomass structural compounds. The model of the single particle corresponds to the description of the biomass structure and its influence on the thermophysical behavior and the subsequent reactions of the compounds released during biomass decomposition. The largest subpart and at the same time the most difficult to describe is the reactor model, which describes the behavior of a vast number of particles, the flow of the reactor gases as well as the interaction between them and the reactor. This chapter contains a basic explanation about what the model is and how it works from a practical point of view. In addition, an extended description of the each subpart is presented