Ongoing projects 2017 Thermo Chemical Conversion Processes

Bio4Energy – Thermochemical platform

ThermochemicalPlatform

BiochemicalPlatform

FeedstockPlatform

EnvironmentalPlatform

Cat

alys

is a

nd s

epar

atio

nP

latfo

rm

Pro

cess

Inte

grat

ion

Pla

tform

Pre

-trea

tmen

t and

Frac

tiona

tion

Pla

tform

Biofuels,”Green” Power,District Heating,

Green Chemicals,

Pulp and Paper

Forestry products,

Agriculture by-products,

WasteFractions

• Our vision: to develop a complete set of experimentally validated sub-models that can predict all technologically important processes for thermal conversion of biomass, including reactions with containment materials.

• Experimental validation using idealized experiments under controlled conditions and in the pilot- and demo-scale experiments that are available within the program.

• Funding: Swedish Government, Strategic research program (27 MSEK) • Partners: LTU, UmU, ETC • Duration: 2010- • Contact persons:, Rikard Gebart LTU, Kentaro Umeki LTU, Mikael Sjödahl LTU, Marcus Öhman,

LTU, Rainer Backman UmU

The Swedish Centre for Biomass Gasification – Bio4Gasification

• Competence centre funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, Industry and Academia

• Our underpinning research in Bio4Gasification is focused on: – Thermo chemistry (UP1) – Experimental characterization of fuel conversion processes (UP2) – Theoretical sub-models/-reactions for thermochemical biomass

conversion (UP3) • Our applied research in Bio4Gasification is focused on:

– Ash behaviour in entrained flow gasifiers (AP 1) – Cyclone powder gasification (AP 4)

• Funding: Swedish Energy Agency, Bio4Energy, Several Industrial Partners

• Partners: ETC, LTU, UmU, LUT • Duration: 2011- • Contact persons at LTU-R&D sub projects: Charlie Ma/Marcus

Öhman (UP1&AP1), Mikael Risberg (AP4), Kentaro Umeki (UP 2&3), Mikael Sjödahl (UP2), Joakim Lundgren, Rikard Gebart (UP 2, 3 & AP4)

Application of forced particle dispersion to reduce formation of soot from pulverised

biomass gasification • A new technique to reduce soot inside the gasifier by forcing

biomass particle to disperse with active flow manipulation techniques.

• This technique modifies local conditions at the location of soot formation without changing any major process parameters

• The project aims to gain deep understanding of soot formation from pulverized biomass and quantitative correlation of major and local reaction condition to soot yield.

• The results of the project will contribute as important design criteria of the new low-soot gasification burner design.

• Funding: Norrbotten Research Council (3 MSEK) • Partners: LTU • Duration: 2015-2018 • Contact persons: Angel David Garcia Llamas, Kentaro

Umeki

Chemical interaction of closely located reactive particles in gas flow among fuel particles affect the

overall behaviour of pulverised flame • The project aims at understanding this interaction with highly

resolved numerical simulation. • The project will focus on constructing a numerical platform to

resolve flow and reactions surrounding a group of closely located reactive particles.

• To make the project successful, computational load should be kept manageable while resolving micro-scale physical phenomena and having representative kinetic scheme.

• The results from this project can be used to derive simplified model to improve the performance of large scale reactor simulation.

• Funding: Swedish Research Council (3.2 MSEK) • Partners: LTU • Duration: 2016-2019 • Contact persons: Thamali Rajika Jayawickrama, Kentaro

Umeki

Catalytic entrained flow gasification of biomass • Alkali metal group (K, Na) has catalytic activity to improve

fuel conversion (less char, tar, and soot) as well known in black liquor.

• This project will demonstrate an efficient and robust gasification technology of solid biomass using closed loop of alkali catalyst.

• The project will compare the validity of this catalytic effect with three different methods of alkali addition (wet impregnation, spray deposition, and physical mixing)

• In addition, a database of slag characteristics relevant for the catalytic gasification will be developed with respect to slag composition and temperature (at Umeå university).

• Based on the experimental results, we will develop a concept for the addition and recovery of catalyst, which has the potential to be used on a large scale.

• Funding: Swedish Energy Agency (3.2 MSEK) • Partners: LTU, Umeå University, IVL • Duration: 2017-2018 • Contact persons: Albert Bach-Oller, Erik Furusjö (IVL),

Kentaro Umeki

Thermal gasification of low grade residues for the production of resources and energy (VergRestWert) • Wood gasification in dual fluidized (olivine) bed systems is an established

technology applied in e.g. Güssing (8 MWth), Oberwart (8.5 MWth). • Using cheaper fuels with lower ash melting behavior, e.g. P-rich chicken

manure, is potentially possible because a large proportion of the inorganic matter is already removed from the process with the char after the gasifier and is not introduced into the combustion chamber.

• Replacement of olivine with a non-heavy-metal-containing mineral will potentially reduce bed material costs and costs for disposal of the ash. In addition the ash from the gasifier may be used as "BioChar* when using P-rich biomass fuels.

• Aims of the project: i) Reduction of operation costs by using an alternative bed material, ii) Reduction of fuel costs by the utilization of cheaper fuels (chicken litter), and iii) Keeping the natural nutrient cycle by recycling of the disposal products fly char (BioChar) and/or ash.

• Funding: Austrian National Funding – Energieforschung (0,82 MEuro in total) • Partners: Bioenergy 2020+ (project leader), TU Wien, Repotec, LTU, UmU • Duration: 2016-2019 • Contact persons at LTU: Marcus Öhman, Gustav Häggström

Development of optimal regulation for efficient combustion of ash rich biomass

• The project aims at improving the efficiency of the conversion step in the fuel chain - to expand the raw material base with ash-rich fuels.

• A previously defined conceptual ash-transformation model will be developed further by adapting it to specific combustion plants.

• The project is part of a larger VINNOVA financed Sweden-China collaboration titled "To develop high energy efficiency and small-scale bioenergy combine in Jilin: Innovation and Demonstration”

• Funding: STEM, VINNOVA (10+6 MSEK in total) • Partners: Sweden: e.g. SLU, BioSteam, LTU, UmU; China: e.g. CAU, Great resources, IFIP • Duration: 2012-2017 (R&D phase) • Contact persons: SLU (Shaojun Xiong, coordinator), at LTU: Marcus Öhman, Joel Falk (LTU-Energy

eng.), Thomas Gustavsson LTU-Process control, at UmU: Dan Boström

Model

Scientific knowledge Control room CHP Boiler

New technology for sustainable and efficient recycling

of nutrients from sewage sludge by incineration • The project aims to demonstrate a new sustainable technology that

enables separation of P from municipal sewage sludge. • Sandviken Energi Vatten AB's sludge is used today as a cover material

for a landfill at a nearby landfill. The landfill will be closed within a few years. Similar situations can be expected to occur in other regions in Sweden.

• The project builds on previous research results developed (TRL 4) which demonstrated the possibility of in-situ extraction of P-rich ash-granules from the bench-scale fluidized bed plant in combustion of sewage sludge.

• The goal is that after completion of the project have reached TRL 5 by technically verify the optimal properties for the ash-granule and how this should be removed from the fluid bed.

• Funding: VINNOVA-BIOINNOVATION (2,2 MSEK in total) • Partners: Sandviken Energi Vatten AB (project leader), Sandviken

Energi AB, Andritz, LTU, UmU • Duration: 2016-2018 • Contact persons at LTU: Gustav Häggström, Marcus Öhman

Biomass

Sludge

Fertilizer

P

Efficient and sustainable phosphorus recovery through thermo-chemical conversion of sludge

• In order to increase the use of sludge's as fertilizer, thermo-chemical processes may be used.

• Positive effects arising from these processes include energy recovery, thermal destruction of pathogens and pharmaceutical residues as well as possible separation and removal of elements that are harmful to the environment.

• The overall aim of the proposed project is to improve the performance of P recovery by thermal conversion of sludge's.

• The knowledge that is generated in this project will be used as a basis to determine suitable fuel pre-treatment/blending and thermal process conditions to improve the performance of P recovery via thermal conversion of sludge's.

• Funding: Swedish Research Council Formas (3,2 MSEK) • Partners: LTU Energy Eng., LTU Waste tech., UmU-TEC lab. • Duration: 2016-2019 • Contact persons: Gustav Häggström (LTU), Marcus Öhman (LTU),

Anders Lagerkvist (LTU, Nils Skoglund (UmU)

Biomass

Sludge

Fertilizer

P

Formation of plant-available phosphates in thermochemical conversion of biomass and waste

streams • Currently the majority of P is mined from depleting ore resources. It is

therefore important to recover the P contained in anthropogenic systems. • One source of P is the sludge from waste- and industrial water treatment

plants. • Introduction of sludge to thermal conversion plants as a fuel present the

opportunity for recovery of P and synergetic positive effects with problematic fuels.

• The research objectives are to i) elucidate the critical ash transformation reactions that lead to the formation of interesting plant-available phosphates, and ii) determine the possibility to modify and design phosphorus and potassium mineralization in the generated ash fractions.

• Funding: Swedish Research Council (3,2 MSEK) • Partners: LTU Energy Eng., LTU Waste tech., UmU-TEC lab. • Duration: 2017-2020 • Contact persons: Marcus Öhman (LTU), Anders Lagerkvist (LTU, Nils

Skoglund (UmU)

Biomass

Sludge

Fertilizer

P

Resource-efficient fuel additives for reducing ash

related operational problems in waste wood combustion (REFAWOOD)

• Today, waste wood combustion in dedicated plants or in co-combustion with forest wood chips has become common practice in many EU Member States.

• The majority of biomass and wood waste-fired power plant in Europe reports more or less extensive corrosion problems in the superheater as well as on furnace walls that cause unacceptably short life times.

• One of the measures to reduce the alkali chloride-related problems in biomass combustion is to use additives.

• The overall objective of REFAWOOD is to improve economic and environmental conditions and enlarge the market for the use of wood waste fuels in CHP-plants by using resource efficient additives

• Funding: ERA-NET Bioenergy (1,5 MEuro in total) • Partners: SP-Rise (project leader), LTU, UmU, Chalmers, Opcon AB,

ENA Energy AB, Gips Recycling AB, Utrecht Univ., Inst Tech. Drewna, Bioenergy 2020+……

• Duration: 2016-2019 • Contact persons at LTU: Marcus Öhman

Clean and flexible use of new difficult biomass

fuels in small to medium-scale combustion (BIOFLEX) • Small to medium scale combustion plants are destined to grow in

importance in a future decentralized, sustainable European energy supply scenario.

• The flexible utilization of new, “difficult” biomass fuels in these plants is one of the major challenges for the coming years.

• The overall objective is to increase fuel flexibility and innovation potential for the use of more difficult solid biomass fuels in these combustion systems

• Specific aims are to develop and implement: i) fuel- and combustion system design related measures making the clean and efficient utilization of “difficult” biomass, and ii) guidelines for the design of appropriate low emission combustion technologies and for appropriate fuel design of the identified fuels.

• Funding: ERA-NET Bioenergy (1,6 MEuro in total) • Partners: SP-Rise (project leader), LTU, UmU, Chalmers, Opcon AB, TFZ,

AMANDUS KAHL, Inst. of Power Eng., BTI, BIOS, POLYTECHNIK, KWB • Duration: 2016-2019 • Contact persons at LTU: Marcus Öhman

Advanced adjustable grate solutions for future fuel

flexible biomass combustion technologies (GreatAdvance) • Low temperatures in the fuel bed and well-directed air supply in the

combustion zone are crucial factors in order to reduce slag formation and minimize the release of PM emissions.

• Due to variations in fuel properties – the ash content in particular – biomass fuels considerably influence the conditions in the fuel bed.

• Flexibly adjustable grate systems are therefore major prerequisites for combustion systems that can be operated with different types of biomass.

• In the project knowledge on ash transformation and modeling of the process and particle movement in packed beds is gained.

• Results are implemented in technology development and optimization of three particular combustion systems (100-300 kW).

• Funding: ERA-NET Bioenergy (1,1 MEuro in total) • Partners: Bioenergy 2020+ (project leader), TUG, Verenum, LTU,

UmU, LUAS, Schmid, Ligno • Duration: 2016-2019 • Contact persons at LTU: Marcus Öhman, Ali Hedayati

Renewable Energy Sources in Steel Plant Processes

(RENEPRO)

• The main objective of this research project is to demonstrate the technological, economic and environmental feasibility of the novel bioeconomy-steel industry production platform (integrated steel, bio-based reductant and chemical production) with extensive laboratory investigations, pilot-scale trials, system analysis and carbon footprint assessments.

• Funding: Interreg IVA Nord (1,2 MEuro in total) • Partners: Oulu Univ (project leader), LTU, Swerea MEFOS, UmU, Future ECO • Duration: 2015-2018 • Contact persons at LTU: Kentaro Umeki, Marcus Öhman

• Metal production is for the most part based on the use of fossil-based energy sources.

• Today, the metal industries in the Nordic countries have developed to a stage where significant improvement in energy efficiency and CO2 reduction is difficult to attain individually.

• In order to make CO2 reduction economically feasible, novel industry integration platforms should be developed.

Fuel additives and blending for reduction of particle emissions in biomass based medium scale heating boilers • The new proposed emissions standards in the EU (e.g.

MCP directive) puts great demands on the industry and will require a development of effective primary and secondary dust emission reduction measures.

• Fuel additives and blending have shown great potential to reduce ash-related problems and fine particle emissions.

• The overall objective is to develop and optimize the methods to use fuel additives and blending to reduce particle emissions from biomass based medium scale heating systems.

• New knowledge will be generated, development/ optimization of full scale applications as well as general guidelines regarding additives and fuel blending will be presented.

• Funding: Swedish Energy Agency (2 MSEK) • Partners: UmU, SP Rise, LTU, Umeå Energi • Duration: 2016-2017 • Contact person at LTU: Marcus Öhman

Development of innovative small(micro)-scale biomass-based CHP technologies

• In many European countries a huge existing and future potential for micro/small-scale biomass CHP applications exists but so far no technologically sound (in terms of efficiency and reliability) and economically affordable small-scale biomass CHP technologies are available.

• The project aims at the further development and test of new CHP technologies based on small-scale biomass combustion in the electric capacity range between some W and 100 kW.

• The work is be based on basic R&D already performed for promising new technologies and aims at the achievement of a technological level which allows a first commercial demonstration after the end of the project.

• Technologies studied: Thermoelectric generation in pellets stoves, Micro ORC, External fired gas turbine concepts

• Funding: ERA-NET Bioenergy (2 MEuro) • Partners: BIOS (coordinator), RIKA SP, LTU, UmU, TFZ,

Ecergy, Osby parca, Orcan, IPE, Wektor • Duration: 2014-2017 • Contact persons: Ingwald Obernberger BIOS (coordinator),

at LTU: Joseph Olwa (LTU), Marcus Öhman (LTU)

Slag formation in grate-kiln system II • LKAB has four pelletizing plants of grate-kiln system in Kiruna. • Slag formation causes production disturbance, damages to equipments and

affects the product quality of iron ore pellets. • The aim of the project is therefore to: i) Clarify mechanisms of slag formation in grate-kiln system (i.e. determine the

critical sub-processes) (lic.) ii) Describe critical sub-processes in different models/ slag forming criteria which

then can be used for CFD-modelling of the process (lic-Dr). iii) Through i) and ii) propose possible solution to reduce slag formation by

improving the process (e.g. change of coal type as fuel, optimal combustion properties)

• Funding: LKAB (2,1 MSEK) • Partner: LTU Energy Engineering, LKAB, ETC • Duration: 2014-2017 • Contact persons: Hamid Sefidari, Marcus Öhman, Bo Lindblom (LKAB), Henrik

Wiinikka (ETC)