Modelling and control analysis of bamboo-based gasification: towards the modern renewable energy

Abstract

Rapid population growth and expeditious economic development have provided significant influence on the increase of global energy demand. This has contributed to the extreme greenhouse gas emissions and anthropogenic climate change. Innovation in bamboo-based gasification with combined heat and power (BGCHP) system emerges as a potential modern waste-to-energy (WtE) technology to overcome those environmental and energy challenges. In this study, an empirical model is built to evaluate the transient behaviour of BG-CHP system. The empirical model has described the transient variables of a downdraft gasifier equipped with a spark fired internal combustion engine (ICE). A pilot plant dynamic data obtained from the Aspen Dynamic flowsheet model were employed to build a data-driven/empirical model of the gasification based-CHP plant in Simulink, MATLAB. Process control analysis is then conducted based on set point trajectories for 10 h operation via model predictive control (MPC). A control pairing involves syngas flowrate with power output as the manipulated and control variables. A closed-loop analysis revealed that MPC performed well under the intermittent set points 15-18-12-15-20 kW with root mean square error (RSME) of 0.018. The modelling and control results obtained in this study can provide insight into the feasible and flexible operation of a large-scale BG-CHP plant and contribute to the minimization of food and energy competition with the utilization of bamboo as a new-modern energy source.