FAIR-CT96-3260 Utilisation of biomass and agricultural waste as a source of energy by multistage gasification

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Agricultural Residues : Agriculture : FAIR Area 2.1 - Chemical and Physical Processes : Solid Biofuels : Thermochemical Conversion : Wood (Lignocellulose)

FAIR-CT96-3260 Utilisation of Biomass and Agricultural Waste as a Source of Energy by Multistage Gasification on a Grate with a Separate Post-Combustion Chamber

The objective of this project is to establish a process making it possible, under the existing conditions in the EU, to use biomass from agricultural production in an economic manner and comply with the Draft Directive on Incineration of Waste. This will involve scale up of a modular design based on a gasification process already successfully tested on a test size scale with established grate technology and a separate post combustion system.

Objectives

In order to cut back overproduction of food, the European Ministers of Agriculture decided that at least 15% of the total agricultural areas used for food cultivation will either be set aside or used for the production of renewable resources. The objective of the present project is to establish a process making it possible under the existing specific framework conditions in the EU to use biomass from agricultural production in an economic manner. Solid biomass energy carriers have a net energy yield of approx. 1.5 to 2 times higher than liquid biofuel, i.e., they have a better CO2 reduction potential. Apart from using "pure" biomass as a source of energy, it is also intended to use contaminated agro-forestry wastes in an environmentally sound and economic way. To ensure economical operation and, at the same time, to comply with emission directives (EU Draft Directive Incineration of Waste), a plant must have a minimum capacity of 2 MW. Owing to the diverse structure in EU agriculture, it is absolutely vital for a European wide implementation of this process that it can be matched with the local agricultural conditions. This will be ensured by the modular design, the possibility of individual plant component optimisation, as well as by the synergy of the specific know how of the European partners who apply as a consortium.

Task and present state of knowledge

The starting point of this project is a gasification process already successfully tested on a test size scale (0.4 MWth,) with established grate technology and a separate post combustion system. It is intended, in combination with an efficient energy recovery and flue gas treatment system, to scale the process up (2 MWth,) and test it under permanent operating conditions. The project group comprises three industrial companies and one science institute from Austria, France and Germany. The concept which has not yet been put into industrial practice, unlike the usual process control, (combustion processes), intends to separate distinctly the following individual sectors: solids conversion by gasification on the grate, post combustion of the hot combustion and heat recovery by a separate boiler and an economiser. An efficient flue gas treatment system based on tests, carried out with similar processes will be used for the separation of pollutants that cannot be influenced by the process, such as SO2, HCl, heavy metals, etc. This process improves the separation of pollutants and reduces residues by using additives efficiently. This will make it possible to separately optimise individual sectors, thus improving the following points compared to existing concepts: flue gas flows and thus emission loads can be reduced by approx. 40 %, particle emissions can be reduced considerably, the combustion gas produced on the grate can be burnt without using additional energy and the post combustion process by using well known primary measures with respect to pollutant emissions (e.g., CO, NO, CxHy).

Contacts

Coordinator

• Dipl-Ing Michael BUSCH / Martin Gmbh fur Umwelt -und Energietechnik / GERMANY