This work presents a study on the combustion of palm kernel shell (PKS) in a conical fluidized-bed combustor (FBC) using alumina sand as the bed material to prevent bed agglomeration. Prior to combustion experiments, a thermogravimetric analysis was performed in nitrogen and dry air to investigate the effects of biomass particle size on thermal and combustion reactivity of PKS. During the combustion tests, the biomass with different mean particle sizes (1.5 mm, 4.5 mm, 7.5 mm, and 10.5 mm) was burned at a 45 kg/h feed rate, while excess air was varied from 20% to 80%. Temperature and gas concentrations (O-2, CO, CxHy as CH4, and NO) were recorded along the axial direction in the reactor as well as at stack. The experimental results indicated that the biomass particle size and excess air had substantial effects on the behavior of gaseous pollutants (CO, CxHy, and NO) in different regions inside the reactor, as well as on combustion efficiency and emissions of the conical FBC. The CO and CxHy emissions can be effectively controlled by decreasing the feedstock particle size and/or increasing excess air, whereas the NO emission can be mitigated using coarser biomass particles and/or lower excess air. A cost-based approach was applied to determine the optimal values of biomass particle size and excess air, ensuring minimum emission costs of burning the biomass in the proposed combustor. From the optimization analysis, the best combustion and emission performance of the conical FBC is achievable when burning PKS with a mean particle size of about 5 mm at excess air of 40-50%. Under these conditions, the combustor can be operated with high (99.4-99.7%) combustion efficiency, while controlling the gaseous emissions at acceptable levels. No evidence of bed agglomeration was found in this conical FBC using alumina as the bed material for the entire time period of experimental tests. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.