(144d) Modification and Testing of a Natural Gas Combustion Unit to Accept Biomass as a Fuel Source | AIChE

(144d) Modification and Testing of a Natural Gas Combustion Unit to Accept Biomass as a Fuel Source

Authors 

Thomas, H. S. - Presenter, Mississippi State University


A green house operation in north-east Mississippi utilized a hot water system to provide heating for their greenhouses. This hot water system consisted of a series of natural gas fired boilers and a pressurized forced water distribution system to circulate heated water to the houses. Recently the spike in natural gas prices more than tripled the heating bill for the green house operation. As a result of this cost increase technologies were sought to lower fuel expenses.

A study was initiated to evaluate the effectiveness of different technologies and a variety of fuel sources to assist with cost saving effort. Originally package small wood burring boilers were installed and evaluated but proved to have high operational and maintenance costs. It was decided that an existing gas boiler could be retrofitted to accommodate solid fuel feeds. The system was constructed and studies were initiated to evaluate the use of coal, wood, waste paper, waste wood and a mixture of wood and glycerol as fuel sources.

Technical support was provided to improve the design of the solid feed combustion unit and stack sampling was undertaken. Mass and energy balances were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the modified boiler and various feed stocks.

This paper will discussed the fabrication and modifications made to the boiler, the stack gas sampling efforts, the effects of the various feed stocks. The solution for final design implementation will also be discussed.