Biomass Combustion

Biomass Combustion is an important renewable form of energy for power generation. Combined heat and power, CHP, is an efficient way of utilising this energy most effectively in units of 30 to 60 MW. This project will focus on fluidised bed biomass combustion and related problems. There are 3 particular topics in this area that we could support as PhD projects. The students would join a small team working in these areas.

a. Pilot scale experimentation at 200kW. Agglomeration problems associated with ash properties could be studies at pilot scale supported by off-line analysis including electron microscopy

b. Deposition and corrosion studies related to fluidised bed combustion of biomass. An existing corrosion test facility in our newly refurbished labs is available for part of this work

c. Heat transfer and phase equilibrium modelling of deposited material within the fluidised bed to predict problem areas associated with distributor design and operation with different fuels. CFD modelling.