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An effective air staging strategy is of great importance for achieving low emissions and sensible heat losses through flue gas extraction. In cases where a commercially available system needs to be optimised, often the only viable measure is the modification of process parameters. In this work, the aim is to (1) Discover a combination of the most suitable process parameters based on a multi-criteria decision-making method and (2) To unveil relevant correlations between the two process parameters under study (PA/SA ratio and excess air), emissions and combustion temperatures. A modified commercial small-scale hot water wood pellet boiler was installed into a laboratory heating system. Nine different cases have been addressed within a parametric study, differing in the PA/SA ratio and overall excess air. Emissions, temperatures inside the combustion chamber and the flow rate of air entering the combustion chamber were measured. A low PA/SA ratio of 0.53 (54.7% reduction from factory settings), combined with a low O2 concentration in the flue gases of 5.26% (39.8% reduction from factory settings), and the elimination of infiltration air resulted in a simultaneous reduction of NOx and CO emissions by 14.4% and 93.9% respectively and a flue gas sensible heat loss reduction of 31.6%.

The common combustion disturbances in the fuel bed in a grate-fired boiler pose a great challenge to accurate modelling of the fuel bed conversion. Therefore, it is difficult to describe the lengthwise profiles of the combustibles leaving the fuel bed into the freeboard accurately. This paper investigates how different fuel bed models or grate inlet profiles will affect the Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation of combustion in the freeboard in industrial grate boilers. Two grate inlet conditions, which are very different in the profiles along the grate but yield the same total mass, momentum, species and energy fluxes into the freeboard, are used in the freeboard simulation of a 13 MWth grate boiler, respectively. The key findings from the comparison between the simulation results and measurement data are as follows. Firstly, the fuel bed model or grate inlet condition accounting for the realistic lengthwise biomass conversion pattern can be used reliably for the simulation of a grate boiler and simulation-based boiler optimisation. Secondly, the impacts of different fuel bed models or different profiles of the grate inlet conditions are virtually restricted only to the vicinity of the fuel bed or in the primary combustion chamber. After the secondary combustion chamber in which up-flowing gas is mixed well with the secondary and tertiary air jets, the simulation results are close to each other. For more general and reliable applications, a comprehensive bed model resolving the mixing, reactions, heat and mass transfer in the fuel bed, is needed and under development.

The applicability is studied of a simplified equilibrium model for prediction of the composition and quality of producer gas from gasification of different waste. A simplified equilibrium model of stoichiometric type based on system thermodynamic equilibrium has been developed in the form of a stand-alone computer application. Standard numerical methods have been implemented for solving the mathematical problem formulation. The model`s predicted results have been compared with the published results for biomass and some waste types - municipal solid wastes and refuse derived fuels. Results are included for a bubbling fluidized bed and downdraft fixed bed allothermal gasification, also for catalytic supported gasification. Producer gas predictions by calibrated and non-calibrated versions of the simplified equilibrium model have been studied. The accuracy of these predictions has been evaluated. The results obtained by the simplified equilibrium model have confirmed that such model is a very useful tool for studying the gasification process for municipal solid wastes and refuse derived fuels process parameters for two mostly implemented gasifier types.

This paper presents the most appropriate numerical approach for investigation of the ignition phenomena of the premixed confined combustion in a condensing boiler. A transient simulation with the coupling of the burning velocity model was sufficient enough to describe fully the phenomena that are responsible for the ignition sequence and the flame stabilization, representing most of the actual ignition problems in general. Detailed simulation investigation with the ignition model leads to better comprehension of the whole flame stabilization process and, as a consequence, it facilitates the optimization potential of the global ignition process in boilers. Four different ignition power loads were observed in the investigation. Also, the ratio between oxidizer (air in our case) and the fuel (Methane) was based on the normal combustion process for the described condensing boiler. The numerical results were validated with the experimental set up and testing. Results comparison shows very good correlation of numerical simulation with the experimental case. The ignition times both tested and simulated, that have a significant impact on flame stabilization, are in very good correlation. Also, very good correlations were obtained between the pressure profiles of the numerical and experimental studies.

Renewable energy production, storage and utilization has been studied in connection with fluctuating renewable power production and demand. The coupling has been considered of surplus renewable power with sewage sludge gasification and renewable syngas storage. High quality syngas produced with power support can be introduced into a gas distribution network or stored and utilized on site. Both systems enable gas consumption at power and heat demand periods. The efficiency of power conversion to syngas produced from high moisture sewage sludge has been studied using a developed equilibrium thermodynamic model for the gasification process providing the calculated prediction of the syngas amount and composition. Furthermore, the total energy efficiency has been studied of the syngas production and utilization system. The results show that the optimum scenario to get syngas suitable to introduce into a natural gas distribution network would be to gasify sewage sludge with 35–40 wt.% moisture, while the optimal parameter for syngas to be valorized onsite is, in terms of efficiency, with SS dried to 20 wt.% of moisture content. In the first scenario, a little more power is produced from stored gas in a natural gas distribution network than consumed, and almost twice as much is produced with on-site production, storage and utilization. The study has showed a technically feasible management option for energy production, storage and consumption with available technologies and infrastructure.

Lead-acid batteries are the most frequently used energy storage facilities for the provision of a backup supply of DC auxiliary systems in substations and power plants due to their long service life and high reliability. It is possible to define the load in these systems, therefore the IEEE 485 Standard can be used for the selection of batteries according to the conventional method of selection. Special attention is paid in the paper to the technical selection of a lead-acid battery, which depends on its operational reliability that decreases with battery aging. It is defined by the extent of maintenance during its service life. A cost analysis was also carried out, which took into consideration maintenance and procurement costs, as well as the costs of the related air conditioning that keeps the prescribed temperature and ventilates the battery room. The impact is shown of selecting a lead-acid battery on the battery room&rsquo, s operating safety when charging. The final selection of lead-acid battery is performed using an optimization algorithm of differential evolution. Using the optimization process, the new battery selection method includes the technical sizing criteria of the lead-acid battery, reliability of operation with maintenance, operational safety, and cost analysis. Two cases of selection of lead-acid batteries for the backup supply of a DC auxiliary system in a transmission substation are presented in the paper, where the input data were determined based on measurements in an existing substation. A comparison is made between the existing conventional and new lead-acid battery selection method based on optimization.

Optimal geometric and process parameters related to air staging, which ultimately lead to lower pollutant formation and a higher thermal efficiency, can be found by utilisation of the CFD simulation method. Simplified and computationally efficient methods for the simulation of complex phenomena which occur in a biomass boiler can, therefore, be of great use, provided they offer reliable and reasonably accurate predictions. A previously developed and validated Computational Fluid Dynamics combustion simulation methodology for large-scale waste to energy grate-fired boilers is modified and implemented for the case of a commercial 32 kW wood pellet hot water boiler. An experimental investigation is performed in order to determine process parameters used in the fuel conversion modelling, case setup and, finally, to enable the validation of the numerical modelling approach. The solid fuel conversion is modelled by a coupled empirical 1D bed model which predicts the composition of the combustible gas mixture released from the fuel bed into the freeboard. Compared to the originally proposed fuel bed conversion model, the modified model includes partial char and volatile oxidation, and relies on gas temperatures measured above the fuel bed. Using the modified fuel bed conversion model, several cases were simulated in order to find the most appropriate parameters of the combined finite rate – eddy dissipation combustion model. Results show that by implementing the modified fuel bed conversion model that relies on measurements, reasonably accurate predictions can be achieved of the gas temperature in the combustion chamber and CO concentration at the flue gas outlet.

Grate-fired boilers are commonly used to burn biomass/wastes for heat and power production. In spite of the recent breakthrough in integration of advanced secondary air systems in grate boilers, grate-firing technology needs to be advanced for higher efficiency and lower emissions. In this paper, innovative staging of combustion air and recycled flue gas in a 13 MW th waste wood-fired grate boiler is comprehensively studied based on a numerical model that has been previously validated. In particular, the effects of the jet momentum, position and orientation of the combustion air and recycled flue gas streams on in-furnace mixing, combustion and pollutant emissions from the boiler are examined. It is found that the optimized air and recycled flue gas jets remarkably enhance mixing and heat transfer, result in a more uniform temperature and velocity distribution, extend the residence time of the combustibles in the hot zone and improve burnout in the boiler. Optimizing the air and recycled flue gas jet configuration can reduce carbon monoxide emission from the boiler by up to 86%, from the current 41.0 ppm to 5.7 ppm. The findings of this study can serve as useful guidelines for novel design and optimization of the combustion air supply and flue gas recycling for grate boilers of this type.