Nyakuma et al. / Jurnal Teknologi (Sciences & Engineering) 58 (2012) 85–88 Full paper Jurnal Teknologi Design of a Bubbling Fluidized Bed Gasifier for the gasification of palm waste. Bemgba Bevan Nyakuma, Anwar Johari, Arshad Ahmad, Tuan A. T. Abdullah, Mojtaba Mazangi Institute of Hydrogen Economy (IHE), Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. * Corresponding Author: bnbevan2@live.utm.my Article history Received XXXX Received in revised form XXXX Accepted XXXX Abstract Biomass is considered an environmentally friendly energy source for the future. However, the transition from fossil fuels to clean sustainable energy sources will require a comprehensive understanding of the technical and socioeconomic dynamics of renewables. In Malaysia, the annual production of palm oil generates large quantities of lignocellulosic biomass which can be converted into nonpolluting renewable energy. Therefore, scientists are exploring the prospects of valorizing palm waste via thermochemical routes such as gasification using gasifier reactors for energy production. Consequently, this study is aimed at proposing a methodology for the design and fabrication of a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier (BFBG) for Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) briquettes gasification. It will employ established theoretical knowledge on fluidized beds and literature studies for application in biomass gasification. The proposed gasifier system consists of three main parts; feeding, gasification and effluent zones for syngas production. The results presented in this study are limited to the feedstock properties, bed hydrodynamic calculations and fluidization parameters such as fluidizing velocities; bed height and pressure drop in the gasification zone of the gasifier. Keywords: Biomass, Fluidization, Fluidized Bed, Gasifier, Briquettes, Sustainable, Malaysia Abstrak Biomas adalah dianggap sumber tenaga mesra alam untuk masa depan. Walau bagaimanapun, peralihan daripada bahan api fosil untuk membersihkan sumber tenaga yang mapan akan memerlukan pemahaman yang menyeluruh dinamik teknikal dan sosio-ekonomi tenaga boleh diperbaharui. Di Malaysia, pengeluaran tahunan minyak sawit menjana kuantiti besar biomas lignoselulosik yang boleh ditukar kepada nonpolluting tenaga boleh diperbaharui. Oleh itu, saintis meneroka prospek valorizing sisa sawit melalui laluan termokimia seperti penggasan menggunakan reaktor gasifier untuk pengeluaran tenaga. Oleh itu, kajian ini bertujuan untuk mencadangkan kaedah bagi reka bentuk dan fabrikasi gasifier menggelegak katil fluidized (BFBG) bagi Buah Tandan Kosong (EFB) briket pengegasan. Ia akan menggunakan pengetahuan teori yang ditubuhkan di atas katil fluidized dan kajian literatur bagi permohonan dalam pengegasan biomas. Sistem gasifier yang dicadangkan terdiri daripada tiga bahagian utama; makan, pengegasan dan efluen zon untuk pengeluaran syngas. Keputusan yang dibentangkan dalam kajian ini adalah terhad kepada sifat-sifat bahan mentah, pengiraan hidrodinamik katil dan parameter pembendaliran seperti fluidizing halaju ketinggian katil dan kejatuhan tekanan dalam zon pengegasan penggas. Kata kunci: Biomass, pembendaliran, katil fluidized, gasifier, Briket, Mampan, Malaysia © 2012 Penerbit UTM Press. All rights reserved. 1.0 INTRODUCTION