Development and optimization of a control algorithm for an industrial combustion plant via flame image analysis

Modern industrial biomass combustion plants are regulated by the power and/or combustion control. In this process, the implemented sensors collect the relevant measured data. The aim is to achieve ideal combustion with optimum efficiency and to minimize gas emissions. For this purpose, a group within the research project Metabolon developed new regulatory procedures in order to record the combustion process of a biomass combustion plant using a webcam. The recordings were evaluated automatically and were used for a better monitoring of the process. In addition, the webcam-based method aims, among other things, to provide private homes with a cost-effective variant as an alternative to industrial system solutions

LIGNOBIOL – Cascade use of lignocellulosic biomass to produce bioenergy

The rising worldwide energy demand leads to the depletion of fossil fuels reserves and at the same time, it increases the environmental impact caused by emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Utilization of fossil fuels causes not only climate change impacts such as global warming, but also many other environmental problems such as water and soil contamination that pose potential risks to human and animal health. Furthermore, increasing population growth leads to increased food demand and consumption. This upward trend creates competition between food and bioenergy markets. Hence, the so‐called “food or fuel” discussion is back. Challenges to counteract deciding between food and fuel that focus on the need to produce sustainable energy, while protecting environment, are the keys to replacing fossil fuels and lowering their greenhouse gas emissions. For this purpose, a completely new strategy with a proper sustainable system to supplying world’s energy demand must be found

ComProSol - Combustion of Processed Solid Biofuels

The goal of the ComProSol project is the mobilization of currently unused biogenic contingents such as residual and waste material for bioenergy feedstocks. Another budding option is the reactivation of fallow land to grow energy crops and short rotation coppice for energy recovery. In the course of Germany’s bioeconomy program, which will switch the economy from a petro-based to a bio-based society, the prioritized utilization of bio-based resources should always be the hierarchically most valuable. Food and forage production are given preference over material recycling and extracting raw materials. Another driver is the growing consciousness of environmental issues and nature conservation which limits the available cultivatable area by law. As a result, there is a supply bottleneck of economically competitive feedstock for bioenergy. In this context, the interdisciplinary project is based on the systematic interconnection of applications to create utilization cascades. Methodical corrective measures of ComProSol focus on influencing fuel properties by preconditioning through substrate and additive compound blending, sieving and compacting, and integrating process optimization. Collaboration with other subprojects that deal with bio- or thermal-chemical conversion will provide additional impetus for developing utilization applications. The initial work package of ComProSol, which recently started, defines the scope by dint of a regional potential feedstock cadaster in order to specify the further roadmap