leonel j. r. nunes - pennbioenergy.psu.edu/shortcourses/2018biochartorrefied...leonel j. r. nunes...

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10:45-TorrefiedPelletsforThermalEnergy

LeonelJ.R.Nunesleonelnunes@ua.pt

l.nunes@adfuelsolutions.com

TorrefiedPelletsforThermalEnergy

TorrefactionProcessDevelopment

TorrefiedProducts

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OurLocation

Themainreasontobeinthislocationis...

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Otherimportantvariablesare:

-  Particlesize

- Residencetime

- Heatingrate

Dependingonthetechnologyused

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Somedefinitions...

Torrefactionisathermalprocesstoconvertbiomassintoacoal-likematerial,whichhasbetterfuelcharacteristicsthantheoriginalbiomass.Torrefiedbiomassismorebrittle,makinggrindingeasierandlessenergyintensive.Comparedtofreshbiomass,storageofthetorrefiedmaterialcanbesubstantiallysimplifiedsincebiologicaldegradationandwateruptakeisminimized.http://www.btgworld.com/en/rtd/technologies/torrefaction

Torrefactionofbiomass,e.g.,woodorgrain,isamildformofpyrolysisattemperaturestypicallybetween200and320°C.Torrefactionchangesbiomasspropertiestoprovideabetterfuelqualityforcombustionandgasificationapplications.Torrefactionproducesadryproductwithnobiologicalactivitylikerotting.Torrefactioncombinedwithdensificationcreatesanenergy-densefuelcarrierof20to21GJ/tonlowerheatingvalue(LHV).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrefaction

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Butarethesedefinitionscorrectoratleastcomplet?

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Consideringthisandinmyopinion...

Biomasstorrefactionisathermochemicalconversionprocessoccurringinatemperaturerangebetween220and310oC,underatmosphericpressureconditionsandintheabsenceofoxygen,wherethemoleculardisintegrationofthehemicelluloseoccurs,maintainingligninandcelluloseinitsoriginalstructures.

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Butwhyisthisdefinitionsoimportant?

Becausewillbethedifferanceofhaving

or

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ClaimsmadeforTorrefaction•  Volumetricenergydensificationbringssignificantcost

reductionsintransportandhandling;•  Broaderfeedstockbasisgeographicallyandtypesofraw

materials;•  Limitedornobiodegradationoftheproductwhenstored;•  Largevarietyofapplications;•  ReducesCAPEXandOPEXatenduserbecausecanbeusedas

itisincoalfiredplants;•  Combustionandgasificationbehaviourmorecompatibleto

coalthanrawbiomassallowinghighcofiringshares;•  Canbeadaptedtomeasureclientsrequirements.

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Andintherealworld?

Problemsdetectedandoccurrences•  VOC’spresentduringtheprocessandinthefinal

product•  Self-heating•  Difficultyinpelletizingduetoovertorrefaction•  Lowerdurabilityandfinalproductcooling

Solutions•  Coolingsystemaftertorrefactionreactorandafter

pelletizing•  Temperaturecontrolanduseofnaturalgas•  NewdischargechamberandVOC’simproved

extraction

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VOC’spresentinthematerialduringthe

processandinthefinalproduct

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Self-heating

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Difficultyinpelletizingduetoovertorrefactionandextremewearofthe

equipment

Wearofpelletizingequipmentandparts

200h 100h 50h

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Largeenergyconsumptionandequipmentwear

Reducedproductionrate

Toavoidtheeffortintheequipmentwaterisadded...

andjustbadqualitypelletsareobtained

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Buthowcanwehavegoodqualitytorrefiedbiomasspellets?

Rememberthis?

Andthefinalresultis...

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Europeanmarketandfinaluserperspective

https://bioenergyinternational.com/heat-power/dong-energy-to-phase-out-coal-by-2023

Thecoal“problem”

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Coal Woodchips WoodPellets TorrefiedBiomass

Moisturecontent

EnergyContent

HandlingandLogistics

CO2Emissions

RequiredInvestments

Co-FiringRatiowithCoal

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3minutes

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AFSProject

AFSproductionfacility

GeneralviewofAFSproject.Theplantoccupyanareaof42,000m2,dividedinproductionzones,storageareas,warehouses,maintenancefacilitiesandoffices.

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Thankyouverymuchforyourtime

LeonelNunesl.nunes@adfuelsolutions.com

leonelnunes@ua.pt