Gasification of Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.

) Shell
Charcoal through an Updraft Gasifier for Electric
Power Generation

Ralph A. Castino Abigail R. Visitacion

Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines Iligan City, Philippines
castinoralph@gmail.com Abigailvisitacion928@gmail.com

Eulalio C. Creencia
Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology
Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology
Iligan City, Philippines
eul212@yahoo.com

Abstract— Biomass gasification converts biomass into useful fuel that can be a potential source of renewable energy. A small-scale
updraft gasifier served as the test rig using coconut shell charcoal as a feedstock. In order to characterize the biomass, a proximate and
ultimate analysis was done. Thermo-gravimetric analysis was performed to investigate the thermal degradation of the biomass inside
the reactor. Heating value of the feedstock was determined using oxygen-bomb calorimeter to assess the amount of energy it releases.
Gasification temperature ranges from 400 oC to 900 oC using 25 kilograms of charcoal. To predict the composition of the product gas,
thermodynamic equilibrium modeling approach was applied. Results of the model shows that the gases: H 2 (3.99-12.39%) and CO
(0.37-32.82%) increased while that of CO2 (20.53-0.31%), H2O (0.05-0.03%), CH4 (2.61-0.03%), N2 (72.44-54.3%) decreased as the
gasification temperature was increased. Higher H2 and CO composition increases the heating value (25.95-71.43 MJ per kmol) as well
as the cold gas efficiency (28.57-76.57%). Using this result as a baseline, energy from the syngas also increases (2.52-6.95 kWh). This
study generates electricity from gasification of coconut shell charcoal.

Index Terms—Coconut Shell Charcoal, Gasification, Updraft gasifier, Thermo-gravimetric Analysis, Thermodynamic Equilibrium
Modelling, Electricity.