Clean Energy Utilisation from Biogas and Biomass Gasification

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Other bio-energy)

Basic and strategic applied research

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Chemical Engineering)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions)
Not Cross-cutting

Dr X Jiang
Engineering
Lancaster University

Standard

EPSRC

22 May 2017

21 November 2017

6 months

£235,826

Energy

North West

Energy : Energy

Dr X Jiang, Engineering, Lancaster University

Dr Y Zhang, Mechanical Engineering, University of Sheffield

Project Contact, E.ON New Build and Technology Ltd
Project Contact, Siemens plc (UK)

Gaseous renewable bioenergy sources, in the form of biogas and bio-syngas from biomass gasification, are facing a major issue in their utilisation because of the variable fuel properties and accordingly variable combustion performance. The vast change in CH4 concentration of biogas leads to strong fuel variability effects. For the cleaner bio-syngas, which is the gasification product of biomass, the issue of fuel variability is equally important. With variable fuel mixtures, there are concerns over the combustion efficiency/stability as well as the pollutant emissions. To deal with this challenge, a good understanding of the underlying physical and chemical processes of the combustion of biogas and bio-syngas is required. Based on fundamental research, this project is intended to obtain a thorough understanding on the important issue of fuel variability through integrated modelling and experimentation studies. The research has academic, environmental, social, as well as potential economic impacts.This joint project between the Universities of Lancaster and Sheffield aims to develop realistic and predictive physicochemical models for biogas and bio-syngas combustion and mappings between the combustion and emission characteristics and the fuel compositions for clean energy utilisation from renewable gaseous fuels. Based on rigorous modelling and experimentation, the project will deliver a thorough understanding of the utilisation of biogas and bio-syngas, highlighting the effects of variable composition. The project is intended to provide a better understanding of the complex physicochemical processes of bioenergy utilisation, which can advance bioenergy technology towards deployment.The project is composed of four inter-connected work packages: (1) WP1: development of chemical kinetic mechanisms, where a range of kinetic mechanisms for biogas and bio-syngas combustion will be developed and optimised; (2) WP2: large-eddy simulation of biogas and bio-syngas combustion, where parametric studies of fuel variability effects will be performed using advanced turbulent combustion models; (3) WP3: experimentation of biogas and bio-syngas combustion, where advanced combustion diagnostics will be systematically carried out; and (4) WP4: validation, integration and optimisation, where guidelines on the utilisation of biogas and bio-syngas with different compositions will be drawn.

14/08/17