H₂-enriched gaseous fuel production via co-gasification of an algae-plastic waste mixture using Aspen PLUS

Thermo-chemical conversion of biomass is a promising technological alternative for producing renewable fuel and reducing waste disposal. This simulation study includes the first attempt to perform co-gasification of algae-plastic waste for H₂-enriched gaseous fuel production. An Aspen Plus-based simulation model was developed to evaluate the influence of gasifier temperature and equivalence ratio on the syngas composition, heating value, and carbon conversion efficiency. Simulation results indicated that the rise in gasifier temperature favoured the H₂ and CO formation, and further, plastic loading enhanced H₂ production to a greater extent. It was observed that the product (H₂ and CO) yield decreased significantly with the rise of the equivalence ratio. At the same time, CO₂ formation increased due to more carbon conversion after enhancing O₂ content in the gasifier. It was also noticed that the synergy of biomass and plastic waste significantly enhanced H₂ content and improved heating value, leading to a produced energy-efficient gaseous product. It is inferred that H₂-enriched feedstock acts as an H₂ donor to the H₂ deficient biomass. Based on the findings, consistency in the simulation results was observed compared with the previous literature. Hence, a mixture of biomass and plastic waste favours obtaining an energy-efficient renewable fuel that could be utilized for different applications.