Paper details

Title:

Breakthrough Gas Cleaning Technology - Clean Up Engine

Author(s):

Chen, Y., Pezzola, L., Mussi, R., Magalotti, V., Heywood, J.B., Gianakakis, G., Kasseris, E., Bromberg, L.

Document(s):

Abstract:

Yanmar R&D Europe (Y.R.E.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.), and Emvolon, Inc. (an MIT spin off company) proved, through an experimental campaign, a novel concept of technology (previously patented by some of the authors) during a joint project. The concept consists in the use an internal combustion engine for cleaning the producer gas from tars, as well as producing power. The producer gas from biomass gasification (in the present study the feeding consists of wood pellet and woodchips) using a low-cost small downdraft gasifier is kept at a temperature above the tar dew point (>300 °C) until it is processed by the engine. In the engine, the wood gas reacts with a sub-stoichiometric amount of air in the range of . (Air-fuel equivalent ratio) of 0.1-0.5. The temperature and pressure rise in-cylinder from the fuel-rich combustion (partial oxidation) can crack large hydrocarbons into smaller ones and into soot, decreasing the condensable tar at the engine exhaust, while only slightly decreasing the lower heating value (LHV) of the gas. The technology proved a tar cleanup efficiency (gravimetrically measured) greater than 90% with a corresponding LHV loss of 20% at .=0.1. The efficiency is experimentally found to be greater for those producer gases characterized by a higher tar contamination. As the concept, the cleaned gas then can be used to produce power fuelling another engine stoichiometrically to completely convert the chemical power of the gas into useful mechanical and electrical power. The resulting system provides a low-cost alternative for gas clean-up at the small scale (sub 100kWe) using an almost off-the shelf, mass produced component (engine) in combination with a conventional gas engine modified for producer gas.

Keywords:

bioenergy, biofuel, biomass, cogeneration, engine, gas cleaning, gasification, tar removal, wood chips, renewable energies, small-scale application, wood pellet, gas upgrading

Topic:

Biomass Conversion for Bioenergy

Subtopic:

Gasification for power, CHP and polygeneration

Event:

30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Session:

4AO.5.2

Pages:

567 - 574

ISBN:

978-88-89407-22-6

Paper DOI:

10.5071/30thEUBCE2022-4AO.5.2

Price:

FREE