BioMatNet Item: JOULE JOR3-CT96-0071 - Catalytic combustor for ultra-low emissions dual fuel gas turbine

[BioMatNet Database - European Commission]

JOULE JOR3-CT96-0071
Catalytic combustor for ultra-low emissions dual fuel gas turbine

Contacts

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JOULE/THERMIE Programme : Thermochemical Conversion

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	JOR3-CT96-0071
	EC Contribution	601,000 ECU
	Start Date	11/04/1996
	Duration	36 Months

Catalytic combustor for ultra-low emissions dual fuel gas turbine

Objectives

Renewable fuels account for less than 2% of the European Union primary energy requirements in the mid 1990s, but advanced biomass power technologies as well as a new emphasis on short rotation crops and forestry could change this pattern. A threefold higher biomass consumption is expected by 2005. Electricity production through a biomass integrated gasification gas turbine (BIGGT) will be probably the best short- and medium-term option for introducing this renewable resource into commercial energy channels. The target of the project is to assess the feasibility of burning biomass-derived gases in a catalytic combustor that will replace the ordinary flame combustor, as a way of overcoming difficulties arising from the use of such fuels in gas turbines. A dual fuel strategy is necessary for the practical use of gases generated from biofuels, because diesel fuel will be used for start-up and back-up.

Technical Approach

The project focuses on the following points:

defining preliminary technical specifications for the catalytic combustor, consistent with the objectives In terms of energy efficiency and atmospheric pollutant emissions and with specific requirements of the gas turbine manufacturers
preparing, characterising and screening, on the lab scale, catalysts suitable for burning alternately gases generated from biofuels and diesel fuels
investigating peculiar aspects of the catalytic combustion of biomass-derived gases in order to identify synergistic or inhibitor effects of some substances
adapting and validating an existing model to the selected fuel to give a tool for further design and dimensioning purposes and to provide guide-lines for planning and interpreting the experiments
testing the selected catalysts in pilot-scale units under realistic conditions to validate the feasibility of using biomass-derived gases
recommendations on both the catalyst and the turbine design
assessing the economic and technical feasibility of the whole route including feedstock conditioning, gasification, gas cleaning, turbo-machine and waste heat recovery

Expected Results

On completion of the project, the main achievements will be:

new catalyst formulations able to run with both biomass-derived gases and diesel fuels
a relevant catalytic section calculation tool
a 20 kW catalytic combustor combined to a gasifier

The research is the first phase of a three milestones programme aiming at the development of an ultra-low emissions gas turbine in the range of 1-5 MW_e. If successful, the project will be pursued by full-scale testing of the catalytic combustor (milestone 2) and by a demonstration operation involving a complete BIGGT unit (milestone 3).

Contacts

Coordinator

Mr. MOSMIDIAN / Groupement Européen de Recherches Technologiques sur les Hydrocarbures / FRANCE

Participant