Effect of Air Staging Ratios on the Burning Rate and Emissions in an Underfeed Fixed-Bed Biomass Combustor

Araceli Regueiro, David Patiño, Jacobo Porteiro, Enrique Granada and José Luis Míguez
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Araceli Regueiro: Industrial Engineering School, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
David Patiño: Industrial Engineering School, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Jacobo Porteiro: Industrial Engineering School, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Enrique Granada: Industrial Engineering School, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
José Luis Míguez: Industrial Engineering School, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende, s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 11, 1-16

Abstract: This experimental work studies a small-scale biomass combustor (5–12 kW) with an underfed fixed bed using low air staging ratios (15%–30%). This document focuses on the influence of the operative parameters on the combustion process, so gaseous emissions and the distribution and concentration of particulate matter have also been recorded. The facility shows good stability and test repeatability. For the studied airflow ranges, the results show that increasing the total airflow rate does not increase the overall air excess ratio because the burning rate is proportionally enhanced (with some slight differences that depend on the air staging ratio). Consequently, the heterogeneous reactions at the bed remain in the so-called oxygen-limited region, and thus the entire bed operates under sub-stoichiometric conditions with regards of the char content of the biomass. In addition, tests using only primary air (no staging) may increase the fuel consumption, but in a highly incomplete way, approaching a gasification regime. Some measured burning rates are almost 40% higher than previous results obtained in batch combustors due to the fixed position of the ignition front. The recorded concentration of particulate matter varies between 15 and 75 mg/Nm 3 , with a main characteristic diameter between 50 and 100 nm.

Keywords: biomass combustion; fixed-bed; air staging; bed stoichiometry; burning rate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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