Biomass/ Biofuels
The Energy Institute has experience in evaluating biomass/biofuels as boiler fuels including animal fats and proteins, vegetable oils, animal tissue, manure/ litter, grasses/ crop residues, wastes wood products, food processing wastes, waste seeds, refuse-derived fuels, sewage sludge, and biomass pyrolysis products. Examples (not inclusive) of the types of activities performed include:
- Use of Pig Lard and Choice White Grease as Industrial Boiler Fuels-Hatfield Quality Meats. The Energy Institute evaluated lard as an industrial boiler fuel and obtained the necessary handleability and combustion data to allow for its use as a supplemental fuel in Hatfield's boilers. Two samples of lard, which were obtained from different locations in Hatfield's process, were burned in Penn State's research boiler. In addition to the lard samples, No.6 fuel oil was fired for baseline comparison.
- Combustion Behavior of Biofuels. A suite of solid fuels, including various biofuels and coals, were characterized for Foster Wheeler Development Company in which fuel structural, reactivity, and nitrogen evolution characteristics were determined. Biofuels included sawdust, fresh and weathered switchgrass, and urban wood wastes. Mathematical relationships between the structural and reactivity measurements were determined, potential for NOx reduction assessed, and the consequences for combustion in utility boilers determined.
- Evaluation of Agricultural Products and Wastes as Potential Fuels for Cofiring with Coal in a Circulating Fluidized-Bed Boiler. The technical and economic viability of using agricultural products and wastes and other wastes produced at Penn State as potential cofiring fuels in a coal-fired CFB boiler was determined. Penn State assessed the viability of cofiring a variety of waste streams (currently more than 15), including lumber, animal bedding/manure, spoiled hay and feed, tires, used oil, sewage sludge, along with biomass grown on land sprayed with effluent from a sewage treatment plant, in a novel coal-fired CFB boiler. This is one option being considered for a new power plant at Penn State. The assessment was a collaboration between Penn State's Office of Physical Plant and the Energy Institute.
- Assisting the Animal Agriculture Industry by Exploring the use of Coal-Fired Fluidized-Bed Boilers for Carcass and Specified Risk Material (SRM) disposal. Penn State assisted Cargill Taylor Packing and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in demonstrating the feasibility of cofiring animal-tissue biomass (ATB) in coal-fired boilers as a carcass/ SRM disposal option. Overall pilot-scale testing successfully demonstrated that carcasses and SRMs can be cofired with coal; however, limitations due to equipment size were experienced. Consequently, follow-up work is being performed with funding from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority and the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Evaluation of Poultry Litter and Poultry Fat. A series of tests were performed for SpinHeat Limited, LLC in which the combustion performance and emissions generated when firing poultry litter in a fluidized-bed combustor (FBC) were evaluated. The testing was performed as part of a feasibility study for a full-scale FBC design/installation for a unit to be installed on the Delmarva Peninsula utilizing poultry litter. In addition, testing was also performed firing poultry fat in the FBC to assess the potential for utilizing the poultry fat in an FBC.
- Determining the Relative Combustion Characteristics of Wood Samples-Zurn Industries, Inc. Wood samples were analyzed and their combustion characteristics determined for Zurn Industries, Inc.
- Evaluating the use of Wellhead Paraffin and Sawdust as Fireplace Logs. A test program was conducted where wellhead paraffin, which can be a disposal problem, was mixed with sawdust to produce fireplace logs. Testing involved: determining the optimum temperature to heat the wax to remove organic volatile matter; determining the optimum wax to sawdust ratio; and comparison of ignition characteristics and burning profiles with commercially-sold fireplace logs.
- Biomass Pyrolysis Products as Supplementary Boiler Fuels Biomass pyrolysis products have been evaluated as supplementary fuels for reducing SO2 and NOx emissions from coal-fired boilers. The products are produced by pyrolyzing biomass and then adding material to capture SO2 (e.g. calcium-based sorbents) and reduce NOx (ammonia-based compounds).