The main objective of this research was to verify the feasibility of the use of a close coupled biomass gasification/combustion system for drying agricultural products. It was used eucalyptus stubs, hogged wood manufacturing residue, saw dust and corncobs as fuel. A gasifier developed by SILVA (1988) was modified to handle those different types of fuel. Gasification chamber was reduced by using a smaller grate of 0.06 m² and also a jacket was added to the top of the reactor to use residual heat. Heated air generated within combustor was mixed up with natural air to provide drying air temperature of 60 °C. This system was used for drying coffee in a dryer with moveable chambers. Coffee with initial moisture of 54.5% was dried till 11.1% wet basis using wood husks for test. Air static pressure exiting fan was of 9 mmwc, at 46.3 m³ min-1. It was concluded that the gasifier consumed between 15.3 to 18.8 kg h-1 of biomass; the equipment is viable for drying pulped coffee and consequently other agricultural products because it does generate clean hot air that will not pollute the product with smoke or particulate, and, also that all four types of biomass tested are viable to be used as fuel in a gasification/combustion system for drying agricultural products.
coffee; drying agricultural products; biomass and gasification
