Fluidised bed combustion of two species of energy crops

The use of biomass fuels for energy production through combustion has a growing application worldwide mainly for two reasons: first, the utilization of biomass for energy contributes to mitigate emission of green house gases; second, its use decreases the dependence of imported fossil fuels in Europe. The objective of this work was to study the combustion behaviour of two endogenous biomass species: cardoon (cynara cardunculus) and arundo (arundo donax), which were specially produced in energy crops plantations. Mixtures of cardoon and a forestry biomass specie (eucalyptus) were also studied to evaluate potential benefits from synergies between both biomass fuel types. The results showed that the utilization of cardoon, in pelletized form, and loose arundo as feedstock, did not give rise to any operational problems related with the feeding system. It was verified that the mono combustion of cardoon could pose problems at industrial scale in fluidised bed systems, considering the high levels of HCl and NOX emissions obtained and tendency to sinter the bed sand material. The addition of the forestry biomass to cardoon appeared to prevent the bed agglomeration problem. Furthermore, both the NOX and SO2 emissions were found to decrease at the same time suggesting potential synergy of blending different types of biomass regarding pollutant emissions and in bed agglomeration problems

Co-firing of biomass and other wastes in fluidised bed systems

A project on co-firing in large-scale power plants burning coal is currently funded by the European Commission. It is called COPOWER. The project involves 10 organisations from 6 countries. The project involves combustion studies over the full spectrum of equipment size, ranging from small laboratory-scale reactors and pilot plants, to investigate fundamentals and operating parameters, to proving trials on a commercial power plant in Duisburg. The power plant uses a circulating fluidized bed boiler. The results to be obtained are to be compared as function of scale-up. There are two different coals, 3 types of biomass and 2 kinds of waste materials are to be used for blending with coal for co-firing tests. The baseline values are obtained during a campaign of one month at the power station and the results are used for comparison with those to be obtained in other units of various sizes. Future tests will be implemented with the objective to achieve improvement on baseline values. The fuels to be used are already characterized. There are ongoing studies to determine reactivities of fuels and chars produced from the fuels. Reactivities are determined not only for individual fuels but also for blends to be used. Presently pilot-scale combustion tests are also undertaken to study the effect of blending coal with different types of biomass and waste materials. The potential for synergy to improve combustion is investigated. Early results will be reported in the Conference. Simultaneously, studies to verify the availability of biomass and waste materials in Portugal, Turkey and Italy have been undertaken. Techno-economic barriers for the future use of biomass and other waste materials are identified. The potential of using these materials in coal fired power stations has been assessed. The conclusions will also be reported

Sustainable woody biomass production systems: a novel solution for energy, agriculture and the environment in Portugal

Bioenergy is a major current issue within the agriculture and energy sectors and the society in general. The environmental and social concerns raised by first generation biofuel crops increased the interest on woody biomass. Biomass production for direct conversion to heat and/or electricity is common in northern European countries, the USA, and, more recently, southern Europe, mainly based on short rotation woody crops (SRWC). These crops are renewable sources of energy, CO2 neutral, able to preserve biodiversity and water, and to contribute to socio-economic development. In Portugal, there is an increasing demand of renewable and sustainable sources of energy. Portugal also presents conditions to expand biomass production and use for energy, namely through SRWCs. There is, however, a lack of experience in this field. With the purpose of studying short rotation woody crops dedicated to energy production, we have launched in Bragança, Portugal, a research project aiming to develop technology for the sustainable production, processing, and use of woody biomass for energy. The goal is to analyse environmental and socio-economic aspects of these crops considering carbon cycle, conservation of water, soils, and biodiversity, as well as creation of wealth locally. It also aims to evaluate the potential of northeastern Portugal for biomass production and carbon sequestration. In this presentation we address the rational behind the project, the methodologies followed, and the results obtained during the first year of the study. We also present our perspectives on the role of woody biomass production at several scales and for several scenarios.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. (PTDC/AGR‐CFL/64500/2006

Axial Concentration Profiles and NO Flue Gas in a Pilot-Scale Bubbling Fluidized Bed Coal Combustor

Atmospheric bubbling fluidized bed coal combustion of a bituminous coal and anthracite with particle diameters in the range 500-4000 ím was investigated in a pilot-plant facility. The experiments were conducted at steady-state conditions using three excess air levels (10, 25, and 50%) and bed temperatures in the 750-900 °C range. Combustion air was staged, with primary air accounting for 100, 80, and 60% of total combustion air. For both types of coal, high NO concentrations were found inside the bed. In general, the NO concentration decreased monotonically along the freeboard and toward the exit flue; however, during combustion with high air staging and low to moderate excess air, a significant additional NO formation occurred near the secondary air injection point. The results show that the bed temperature increase does not affect the NO flue gas concentration significantly. There is a positive correlation between excess air and the NO flue gas concentration. The air staging operation is very effective in lowering the NO flue gas, but there is a limit for the first stage stoichiometry below which the NO flue gas starts rising again. This effect could be related with the coal rank