A detailed one-dimensional model of combustion of a woody biomass particle

► A 1-D model of combustion of a woody biomass particle is presented and validated. ► The developed computer code provides a deeper insight into the biomass combustion. ► Char combustion and biomass pyrolysis are found to be the dominant processes. ► The pyrolysis kinetic data has substantial effect on the simulation results. ► Kinetic data of Di Blasi and Branca must be used in the model at high temperatures. A detailed one-dimensional model for combustion of a single biomass particle is presented. It accounts for particle heating up, pyrolysis, char gasification and oxidation and gas phase reactions within and in the vicinity of the particle. The biomass pyrolysis is assumed to take place through three competing reactions yielding char, light gas and tar. The model is validated using different sets of experiments reported in the literature. Special emphasis is placed on examination of the effects of pyrolysis kinetic constants and gas phase reactions on the combustion process which have not been thoroughly discussed in previous works. It is shown that depending on the process condition and reactor temperature, correct selection of the pyrolysis kinetic data is a necessary step for simulation of biomass particle conversion. The computer program developed for the purpose of this study enables one to get a deeper insight into the biomass particle combustion process.