Biomass Co-Firing in Suspension-Fired Power Plants

The objective of the project is to investigate critical issues associated with cofiring with low-NO_x burners and cofiring in advanced suspension-fired plants with for example high-temperature steam cycles. Experience has been gained using biofuels for cofiring in older power plant units. However, in the future it is expected to become relevant to cofire in more advanced plants as the trend in the power plant structure is towards older plants having fewer operating hours or being decommissioned. A major product of this project is an experimentally validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based modelling tool adapted to accommodate biomass cofiring combustion features. The CFD tool will be able to predict deposit accumulation, particle conversion, fly ash composition, temperatures, velocities, and composition of furnace gases, etc. The computer model will primarily be used in the development of advanced cofired combustion and potentially gasification systems and secondarily to resolve immediate and critical issues associated with cofired systems. Another essential issue is the assessment of fuel flexibility in cofired plants to help keep biomass use competitive compared to other renewable technologies.