Characterization of Biomass Fuels in Isothermal Plug Flow Reactor (IPFR)

Abstract

Combustion of fossil fuels is one of the most important source of energy. However low carbon politics and environmental commitments, affects developing combustion and co – combustion technologies. Utilization of biomass fuels can be answer for new challenges, although more research on effective utilization of these fuels are needed. Nowadays, combustion of biomass fuels, especially straw, causes many technical problems, mainly slagging formation, fouling of heat exchangers inside combustion chamber and insufficient fuel burnout. This paper focuses on analysis of biomass combustion. Better knowledge of behavior during biomass combustion may help to optimization of PF (Pulverized Fuel) boiler of and avoid some technical problems. The results of investigation shows that temperature and oxygen concentration in reactor play significant role in process of devolatilization and char burnout. For instance during char burnout experiments at temperature 850⁰C at 14% oxygen concentration after 200 ms more than 80% of mass loss were achieved. Compared to 700⁰C at 14% oxygen concentration this same level of mass loss were completed after 500 ms. Experiments performed on Isothermal Plug Flow Reactor (IPFR) at Institute of Energy Process Engineering and Fuel Technology (IEVB) at TU Clausthal were a part of project between IEVB and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany.