Straw is being used as main renewable energy source in grate boilers in Denmark. For optimizing operating conditions and design parameters, a one-dimensional unsteady heterogeneous mathematical model has been developed and experiments have been carried out for straw combustion in a fixed bed. The straw combustion processes include moisture evaporation, straw pyrolysis, gas combustion. and char combustion. The model provides detailed information of the structure of the ignition flame front. Simulated gas species concentrations at the bed surface, ignition flame front rate, and bed temperature are in good agreement with measurements at different operating conditions such as primary air-flow rate, pre-heating of the primary air. oxygen concentration. moisture content in straw. and bulk density of the straw in the fixed bed. A parametric study indicates that the effective heat conductivity. straw packing condition. and heat capacity of the straw have considerable effects on the model predictions of straw combustion in the fixed bed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.