Du
20 September 2004
au
20 March 2005

Etude de la combustion de nouveaux biocombustibles en chaudière industrielle (550 kW)

Study of the combustion of new biofuels in an industrial boiler (550 kW)

Context

The Agricultural Engineering Department is confronted with particular test requirements of biomass combustion, for targeted applications for which there is no reference in the scientific and technical literature.

Objectives

These combustion tests aim at proving the combustion feasibility, measuring the energy yields of heat transformation and the environmental impacts and at revealing potential technical difficulties.

Description of tasks

Since January 2002, an industrial size boiler (550 kW which represents 120 kg of wood at 15 % moisture content per hour) totally used for research is installed. The technology choosed is the water cooled grate furnace. In this power range, it allows the best flexibility as for the moisture content of the fuel. The water cooled grate technology limits the development of slagging. The recirculation of combustion gases makes it possible to keep low concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx). In order to assess the environmental effect of the combustion, the boiler is equipped with continuous (CO2, CO, NOx, CH4, SO2, O2) and discontinuous (HCl) combustion gas analysers. An isocinetic sample probe allows to measure the smokes’ particle content. Lastly, temperature and flow rate measurement equipments complete the installation to carry out mass and energy assessments.

Results obtained

For information only, here are some examples of biomass on which combustion tests were carried out in the Agricultural Engineering Department : - mixture wood panels/manure (solid part). We talk about co-combustion when two fuels are burned simultaneously ; - cocoa shells (for a chocolate manufacturer) ; - high density wood panels ; - green bamboo (alone and in co-combustion with wood chips).

Contribution

The Farming Systems Unit for the hydrogen analysis

Partners

FUSAGx - BEAGx

Funding

  • CRA-W - Walloon Agricultural Research Centre

Team