BIONORM II

Pre-normative research on solid biofuels for the improvement of European standards

Context

In order to develop biofuels market within the European Union a Standardisation of the market is urgently required. Based on the actual knowledge, standards are currently developed, by one of the CEN technical comities (CEN TC335 – Solid Biofuels). For a matter of fact different technical specifications have already been published. These documents should be upgraded into standards, after some possible modifications during the next 3 years. However, the application of technical specifications in the industry shows that some of them require the integration of elements for which the lack of state of the art is still considerable. Furthermore given the current state, some technical specifications are simply non-existent, by lack of knowledge in this field.

Objectives

In order to make up for the lack of knowledge and references the project BioNorm II aims at supporting the in progress standardisation process Particularly by developing improved specification for biofuels so that

• Specifications given by the combustion unit are setting up.

• Rules for conformity of the products with their specified requirements. To provide this information, the following aspects need to be analysed in detail :

• Further improvement of existing reference particularly terms and definitions

• Development of new reference test methods

• Development of rapid on-site test methods

• Development of sampling and sample reduction methods for further materials and development of sampling plans.

• Development of quality measures in accordance with the ISO 9000 family especially adapted to solid biofuels

Description of tasks

At least three types of solid biofuels ( Wood chips, wood pellets and straw) will be examine for the following aspects :

Sampling, sample reduction and sample planning (Work Package I)

- The size and number of increments to be taken to provide representative samples

- The most appropriate systems for reducing sample.

- The best locations in typical production processes at which to take samples

Test procedures (Work Package II)

- Physical and mechanical properties

- Chemical properties To put emphasis tests aiming at improving :

- Reference methods

- Rapid methods

Quality measures procedure (Work Package III)

- Quality planning

- Quality improvement

- Quality assurance

- Quality control

Biofuels specification (Work Package IV)

- Fuel properties related to supply chain

- Fuel properties related to combustion

- Basic for conformity rules

Partners

The Bionorm project consists of a consortium made up more than 40 partners whose the coordinator is the Institute for Energy and Environment of Leipzig in Germany.