Title:
Co-firing Test of Sugar Cane Harvesting Residues (RAC) with Coal and Pith in a Large-Scale Boiler
Author(s):
Lucuara, J., Castillo, J., Paredes, J., Ojeda, W.A., Gomez, A., Gil, N., Molina, J.
Document(s):
Paper
Slide presentation
Abstract:
This paper reports the trials for using sugar cane harvest residues (RAC) as a fuel ona cogeneration boiler (136 tph, 65 bar and 510°C) in co-firing with coal and bagasse pith, on experimental tests for fuel handling and combustion validation. For this, RAC from a dry cleaning station of a sugar mill was chopped using a forage machine, in order to ensure a convenient particle size and to avoid feeding problems in the boiler. The mixed fuel that was fed to the boiler was 13% RAC, 57% pith and 30% coal in mass basis. All the boiler operational variables were monitored and recorded. Additionally, samples of the mixed fuel (RAC-pith), coal, bottom ash and fly ash, were collected to be analyzed using ASTM and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) methods. Finally, a combustion gases analyzer was used todetermine combustion gases composition. The boiler operation performance during the tests (steam pressure, flow and temperature) was considered normal. Regarding the gases composition, the main compounds as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide were under expected values except the oxygendue to a failure in the online analyzer. The proximate and elemental analysis of the mixed fuel, showed a similar values to typical biomass fuels used in the sugar industry like bagasse but the elemental ashes analysis showed important differences in alkali and acid compounds.This work allowed an understanding of the fuel handling and combustion behavior on a large-scaleboiler and showed the RACīs combustion viability in co-firing with pith and coal. These results open the way to perform long-term tests and finally have available a commercial and useful renewable fuel.
Keywords:
biomass, boiler, co-firing, cogeneration, fouling, slagging
Topic:
Industry Sessions
Subtopic:
Power & Heat processes and systems
Event:
25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
IBO.16.2
Pages:
1913 - 1919
ISBN:
978-88-89407-17-2
Paper DOI:
10.5071/25thEUBCE2017-IBO.16.2
Price:
FREE
