Biomass Utilization in Stationary Heat & Power Systems: RD&D Activities at Penn

State’s Energy Institute

Biomass Utilization in Stationary Heat & Power Systems: RD&D Activities at Penn

State’s Energy InstituteBruce G. Miller

CrossOver 2007University Park, Pennsylvania

September 4-5, 2007

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

• Summary of the Energy Institute’s technical areas of expertise (focusing on stationary combustion)

• Examples of biomass characterized/ tested• Overview of the Energy Institute’s biomass

combustion activities• Selected results from biomass combustion &

emissions testing• Examples of companies/ agencies we work with

Technical Areas of Biomass Stationary Combustion Expertise

Technical Areas of Biomass Stationary Combustion Expertise

• Resource assessments• Fuels evaluation (fundamental and applied behavior in

combustion systems) and characterization• Emissions characterization and control• Fundamental behavior of inorganic elements• Analytical techniques for characterizing inorganic phases in

fuels and combustion byproducts• Statistical techniques for designing engineering experiments

and evaluating data

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Woody and Herbaceous Biomass)

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Woody and Herbaceous Biomass)

• Wood residues, herbaceous plants, and crops– Sawdust/ wood chips/ road

clearings– Urban wood waste– Tree-of-Heaven– Grasses -- Switchgrass (aged and

fresh), Reed Canary Grass– Corn/ soybeans

Total forest resources - 368 MDT/yrTotal agricultural residues - 159-954 MDT/yrFrom USDA/U.S. DOE Feedstock Report 2005

Switchgrass

Pine Chips

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Manure and Litter)

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Manure and Litter)

• Manures– Poultry litter– Dairy/ beef manure– Swine wastes– Sheep manure– Horse manure

Poultry Litter

Dairy Manure

Manures - 35-44 MDT/yrFrom USDA/U.S. DOE Feedstock Report 2005

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Animal Fats and Greases)

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Animal Fats and Greases)

• Animal fats/ vegetable oils– Choice white grease/ lard– Tallow– Poultry fat– Restaurant grease– Soybean oil– Coconut oil

Fats (excluding oils) - 11.6 B lb/yrFrom Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, Inc. 2005

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Animal Proteins)

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Animal Proteins)

• Animal proteins– Feather meal– Blood meal– Poultry meal– Pork meal– Meat & bone meal

Pork Meal

Meat & Bone Meal

Proteins - 9.2 B lb/yrFrom Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, Inc. 2005

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Animal-Tissue Biomass)

Examples of Biomass Feedstocks(Animal-Tissue Biomass)

• Animal-Tissue Biomass (ATB)– Raw or pre-processed animal-derived

tissues• Animal parts such as specified risk

materials (SRMs)• Whole animals including beef/dairy cow

carcasses, poultry, cervids• Meat processing wastes that are not

desired in animal feed products– Emergency slaughter carcasses

Ground/chippedcattle carcasses

ATB >6 B lb/yrFrom Sparks 2002; Harlan 2004

Comparison of Various Boiler Fuels Tested at the Energy Institute

Comparison of Various Boiler Fuels Tested at the Energy Institute

– Energy Densities –

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Natural

Gas

No. 2 Fuel

Oil

No. 6 Fuel

Oil

Restau

rant G

rease

Choice W

hite G

rease

LardTall

owPoultr

y Fat

Bituminous

Anthracite

Subbituminous C

oalLignite

Feather

Meal

Blood Mea

l

Poultry M

eal

Pork Mea

l

Meat &

Bone M

eal

Coal Refu

se-high

Coal Refu

se-lo

wRail

road

TiesFiberb

oard

Wood Chips/S

havings

Cull-Cow SRM

Fed-C

attle

SRM

Cow Carc

asse

s

Poultry L

itter

Dairy/B

eef M

anureCorn

Switchgras

s

Reed C

anary

Gras

s

As-

Fire

d H

eatin

g Va

lue

(Btu

/lb)

Natural Gas

Fuel Oils

Animal Fats/ Greases

Coals

Animal ProteinsCoal

Refuse WoodyResides

Manure/Litter

HerbaceousPlants/ Crops

Animal Tissue Biomass

Resource AssessmentsResource Assessments• Local (University Park)

– 45 and 100 mile radius– As part of a study on the feasibility of

installing a CFB on campus to cofirebiomass and coal

• Statewide

Fuel CharacterizationFuel Characterization• Advanced Fuel Analysis

– Fundamental combustion/ pyrolysiskinetics

– Fundamental nitrogen and volatile matter evolution studies for burner design and NOx control

– Chemical fractionation to assess behavior of inorganics

– Fuel structure

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800

Temperature (C)

Perc

ent o

f Ele

men

t Evo

lved

as

Vola

tile

Mat

ter

Percent Nitrogen Evolved as Volatile Matter

Percent Carbon Evolved as Volatile Matter

Step 2

AmmoniumAcetate (1M)

Leaches residuefrom Step 1

Ion-exchangeableMaterial

Step 1

DeionizedWater

Leaches raw fuel

Water-SolubleSalts

Step 3

HydrochloricAcid (1M)

Leaches residuefrom Step 2

Acid-Soluble SaltsCarbonates, Sulfates,

and Mono-Sulfides

Volatile N and C evolution from Pittsburgh 8 coal

Chemical fractionation technique

Fundamental Behavior of Inorganic Elements

Fundamental Behavior of Inorganic Elements

• Application of thermodynamic modeling (ChemSage, FACTWin, FACTSage) to predict ash deposition and agglomeration, particle formation, and emissions

• Characterization of trace elements in flue gas

• Relating the occurrence, size, and composition of inorganicsin biomass to ash formation, partitioning of inorganic elements during combustion, and physical properties of ash and slag formed

1

10

100

1000

10000

1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600 4000

Fuel 1 (0)Fuel 5 (10)Fuel 6 (20)Fuel 7 (30)Fuel 8 (40)Fuel 10 (100)

Visc

osity

, poi

se

Temperature, °F

.

W e i g h t % i n L i q u i d P h a s e

Temperat ure, °F

2200 2600 3000 3400 3800 42002400 2800 3200 3600 40000

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

CaOK2O

CaOK2O

Na2O

Na2O

Fuel 1 (100% Coal)

Fuel 4 (80% Coal/20% Manure)

Na2 O Fuel 4

Na2 O Fuel 1

FBC bed agglomeration

Combustion Test UnitsCombustion Test Units• Bench-scale drop-

tube reactor• Residential corn

furnace• Residential pellet

stove

Residential pellet stove testing

switchgrass pellets

Residential corn stove

Drop-tube reactor

Combustion Test UnitsCombustion Test Units

• Commercial watertubeboiler

• Pilot-scale fluidized-bed combustor

Oil-Designed Watertube Boiler Firing Lard

FBC Firing Animal-Tissue

Biomass

Emissions Characterization andEmissions Factor Development

(from Watertube Boiler Testing)

Emissions Characterization andEmissions Factor Development

(from Watertube Boiler Testing)

PCNo.

2 F

.O.

No. 6

F.O

.Nat

ural

Gas

Yello

w Gre

ase

(120

° F)

Yello

w Gre

ase

(140

° F)

Soyb

ean

Oil

Soyb

ean

Oil (1

20°

F)

Choi

ce W

hite

Gre

ase

(140

° F)

Poul

try F

at

Tallo

wBi

odie

sel

COSO2

NOx

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Emissions (ppm)

Emissions Characterization & Food Security Assessments

Emissions Characterization & Food Security Assessments

PCPoultryMeal/PC NG

PoultryMeal/NG PC

MBM/PCNG

MBM/NG

CO

SO2

NOx0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Emissions (ppm)

Examples of Recent Research SupportersExamples of Recent

Research Supporters• Federal Agencies

– U.S. Department of Energy

• State Agencies– SUNY Syracuse– Penn State Office of

Physical Plant– Pennsylvania Energy

Development Authority

• Industry– Cargill Meats Solutions– National Cattlemen’s Beef

Association– Foster Wheeler– Oilmatic International, LLC– Hatfield Quality Meats– Keystone Protein Company– Soy Energy, LLC– Monona Farms