BioMatNet Item: JOULE JOR3-CT95-0057 - Operational problems, trace emissions and by-product management for industrial biomass co-combustion

[BioMatNet Database - European Commission]

JOULE JOR3-CT95-0057
Operational problems, trace emissions and by-product management for industrial biomass co-combustion

Contacts

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JOULE/THERMIE Programme : Solid Biofuels : Thermochemical Conversion

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	JOR3-CT95-0057
	EC Contribution	4,473,462 ECU
	Start Date	07/12/95
	Duration	36 Months

Operational problems, trace emissions and by-product management for industrial biomass co-combustion

Objectives

In comparison with other renewable energy sources, thermal utilisation of biomass or waste is a cheap and technically feasible option to reduce net CO₂emissions. Co-combustion of biomass or waste with coal in existing large-scale firing systems offers several advantages compared with systems exclusively fired with biomass. Use of biomass or waste, however, may have consequences on combustion behaviour, emissions, corrosion, and residual matter. Based on previous experience, the objective of this project is to concentrate the research effort on the problem areas of slagging, fouling, corrosion, ash utilisation and trace emissions by testing different co-combustion systems and to investigate technical options to avoid these negative effects. Solution of these problems will promote a widespread use of existing biomass resources.

Technical Approach

Two different concepts will be compared with regard to fouling, slagging, corrosion, ash utilisation and trace emissions. The first and cheapest possibility is direct co-combustion using coal and biomass as feedstock in a coal-fired boiler. Here the effects of co-combustion of different kinds of biomass on slagging, fouling, and corrosion will be considered. The effects of co-utilisation on the ash composition have also to be evaluated and compared to a pure coal or biomass combustion system. The combustion concepts under consideration will be fluidised bed combustion, pulverised fuel combustion, and the slagging combustor. A further approach is to pre-treat the biomass to remove the undesired components before combustion. One way could be a pyrolysis/gasification process and the use of the produced gas in a different boiler. The gas can be used as reburn fuel for NO_x reduction. A maximum gas yield being advantageous, not only pyrolysis but also gasification has to be considered. If the yield of the remaining char is too high, treatment and combustion of the ash has to be taken into account.

Expected Results

The effects of different kinds of biomass on operation, emissions and residuals and the economics of the different co-combustion concepts will be shown. This will make it possible to define the most suitable technique. The limits of co-combustion will be identified and measures to prevent operational problems and to reduce environmental effects will be outlined. The results can then be transferred to industrial application; they will enable designers and operators of combustion plant to minimise the operational and environmental impact of plant burning blends of coal and biomass. The resulting information will allow development of new plant designs that offer better control of boiler operation with an associated improvement in environmental performance.

Contacts

Coordinator

Universitat Stuttgart Institut fur Verfahrenstechnik / GERMANY

Participant