BioMatNet Item: JOULE JOR3-CT97-0125 - Improved technologies for the gasification of energy crops

[BioMatNet Database - European Commission]

JOULE JOR3-CT97-0125
Improved technologies for the gasification of energy crops

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JOULE/THERMIE Programme : Solid Biofuels : Thermochemical Conversion : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	JOR3-CT97-0125
	EC Contribution	688,684 EC
	Start Date	31/05/97
	Duration	24 Months

Improved technologies for the gasification of energy crops

Objectives

The overall objective is to investigate how to utilise energy crops efficiently and cost-effectively in heat and power production based on fluidised bed gasification. This specifically implies finding solutions that minimise associated operational problems and to stipulate recommendations for commercial utilisation in existing gasifier concepts. The specific aims are:

to investigate a number of potential energy crop fuels concerning their handling and characteristic performance in fluidised bed gasification
to study interactions in the fluidised bed between the selected fuels and cheap bulk bed-materials reflecting agglomeration, partial sintering and defluidisation
to test promising combinations of fuel and bed-material mixtures in bench-scale gasifiers revealing gasification regimes, i.e., temperature, pressure and feed rates that may be more adequate for energy crops
to assemble a manual with operational conditions for optimal commercial utilisation of energy corps as gasifier fuel for heat and power production

Technical Approach

The actual project work is divided into four interdependent tasks. Task 1 will study characteristic performance of selected energy crops and bed materials both separately and in combination. International standard characterisation methods (ASTM) including SEM surface analysis will be dominating tools in this part of the investigation. Based on the results from Task 1 an experimental bench scale investigation will be carried out involving three different fluidised bed gasifiers ranging from 5 - 50 kg/h feed (ds). In a third task the experimental results will be assessed for commercial implementation where two process designs will be presented; one for the Southern European market and one for the Northern/mid European region. A final task will condense the project results to clear-cut guidelines in a manual for commercial use of energy crop fuels in fluidised bed gasification.

Expected Results

The project work will focus on several restraining factors for an efficient and cost-effective commercial utilisation of energy crops. Firstly, the industrially targeted characterisation and testing of highly potential energy crop fuels and bed materials are anticipated to result in knowledge to drastically increase fuel flexibility in existing fluidised bed gasification concepts. Secondly, successful experimental results will provide operational ways to avoid critical bed defluidisation through intelligent combinations of bed materials mixtures and process parameters. This will generically further strengthen the technology based on fluidised bed biomass gasification. Thirdly, reduced operational costs following improved process conditions and refined system designs are expected to promote current technology to gain ground by offering increased availability and independence through a broadening of the fuel palette. A promising market is anticipated in the area of small to intermediate scale heat and power generation. The results from the project work will be exploited through a further strengthening of existing technology for near term commercialisation in Europe where one of the project partners is on the threshold of a market introduction.

Contacts

Coordinator

Anders HALLGREN / TPS Termiska Processer AB SWEDEN

Participant