A model is presented for the gasification of beech wood particles in a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier (BFBG). The model encompasses the hydrodynamics of the solid and gas phases as well as the different reaction kinetics. It also accounts for the freeboard where additional homogeneous reactions take place. The influential impact of the pyrolysis step on the final composition of produced fuel gas was demonstrated by applying two different kinetic models for pyrolysis. Model results are compared with the experimental work of this study and other published results on wood gasification in BFBG. Effects of equivalence ratio (ER), steam to biomass ratio (SB), bed temperature, feed location, and mass transfer between the countercurrent regions (K-w) on the gas composition of product fuel gas are studied. The model shows good agreement with the experimental results. (c) 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.