Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace

Haoteng Zhang, Lihui Yu, Cuina Qin, Shuo Jiang and Chunjiang Yu ()
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Haoteng Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Lihui Yu: State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Cuina Qin: State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Shuo Jiang: State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Chunjiang Yu: State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: Co-firing large-sized straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers is a potential pathway for carbon emission reduction in China’s thermal power plants. However, experimental data on large-sized straw combustion under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions are critically lacking. This study selected typical large-sized wheat straw particles. Employing a two-mode experimental setup in a drop tube furnace (DTF) system simulating pulverized coal boiler conditions, we systematically investigated the combustion behavior and alkali metal release characteristics of this large-sized straw biomass, with combustion processes summarized for diverse particle types. The findings reveal asynchronous combustion progression across particle surfaces due to heterogeneous mass transfer and gas diffusion; unique behaviors distinct from denser woody biomass, including bending deformation, fiber branching, and fragmentation, occur; significant and morphology-specific deformations occur during devolatilization; fragmentation universally produces particles of varied shapes (needle-like, flaky, blocky, semi-tubular) during char combustion; and potassium release exceeds 35% after complete devolatilization and surpasses 50% at a burnout degree exceeding 80%. This work provides essential experimental data on the fundamental combustion characteristics and alkali metal release of large-sized wheat straw particles under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions, offering engineering application guidance for the direct co-firing of large-sized flexible straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers.

Keywords: drop tube furnace; large-sized; wheat straw; combustion process; potassium (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: 2025
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