0000000000140421
AUTHOR
Mikko Hupa
Influence of Elevated Pressure on the Torrefaction of Wood
The use of pressurized reactors in industrial processes can improve efficiency and economics. Torrefaction is a partial pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass designed to result in a solid product with improved fuel properties for utilization in combustion and gasification. In this work, the influence of elevated pressure on the torrefaction of wood has been investigated. Wood samples were torrefied using a pressurized thermogravimetric reactor (PTGR) with pressures of 0.1 to 2.1 MPa. The results indicate that reactor pressure, particle size of feedstock, and wood species are all factors in torrefaction yield improvements. Torrefaction at 2.1 MPa pressure improved the higher heating value (ca…
Trace element behavior in the fluidized bed gasification of solid recovered fuels
Gasification of biomass and recycled fuels is of particular interest for the efficient production of power and heat. Trace elements present as impurities in the product gas should be removed very efficiently. The objective of this work has been to develop and test thermodynamic models for the reactions of trace elements with chlorine and sulfur in the gasification processes of recycled fuels. In particular, the chemical reactions of trace elements with main thermochemical conversion products, main ash components, and bed and sorbent material are implemented into the model. The possibilities of gas cleaning devices in condensing and removing the trace element compounds are studied by establi…
Catalytic effect of Ca and K on CO2 gasification of spruce wood char
Abstract Gasification is one route to produce chemicals and liquid fuels from biomass. The gasification of the char is catalyzed by alkali and alkaline earth metals in the biomass. In this work the catalytic effect of calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) on CO2 gasification of spruce wood was studied using a thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA). The ash-forming elements were first removed from the wood using an acid leaching method. Then, various concentrations of K and Ca were absorbed to the wood by ion-exchange to carboxylic and phenolic groups, impregnation of K2CO3 or physically mixing of CaC2O4. The prepared spruce samples were placed in a mesh holder and gasified in the TGA at 850 °C in 100% …
NO formation tendency characterization for solid fuels in fluidized beds
Abstract Usually the standard fuel analysis is not enough to allow for accurate NO emission predictions in large scale fluidized bed combustion. This paper presents NO formation tendency characterization results from novel laboratory measurements in a small-scale fluidized bed combustor. With the special two-stage oxidation method it is possible to eliminate the observed problems of unstable test conditions during rapid pyrolysis of high-volatile fuels in batch combustion. Experimental results of the conversion of fuel nitrogen to NO are presented for wide range of fuels, ranging from coal-type fuels to peat, biomasses and wastes. A NO formation tendency database is formed based on the resu…