Reducing the energy demand of corn‐based fuel ethanol through salt extractive distillation enabled by electrodialysis

The thermal energy demand for producing fuel ethanol from the fermentation broth of a contemporary corn‐to‐fuel ethanol plant in the U.S. is largely satisfied by combustion of fossil fuels, which impacts the possible economical and environmental advantages of bioethanol over fossil fuels. To reduce the thermal energy demand for producing fuel ethanol, a process integrating salt extractive distillation—enabled by a new scheme of electrodialysis and spray drying for salt recovery—in the water‐ethanol separation train of a contemporary corn‐to‐fuel ethanol plant is investigated. Process simulation using Aspen Plus® 2006.5, with the electrolyte nonrandom two liquid Redlich‐Kwong property method to model the vapor liquid equilibrium of the water‐ethanol‐salt system, was carried out. The integrated salt extractive distillation process may provide a thermal energy savings of about 30%, when compared with the contemporary process for separating fuel ethanol from the beer column distillate. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012     

Examination of the combustion conditions of herbaceous biomass

Power generation from biomass is a fairly new area, and boilers that utilize various types of biomass have in many cases experienced serious problems with slagging, fouling and corrosion of boiler tubes. Mineral matter in these fuels can deposit on the heat-exchanger surfaces in the boiler and generate an insulating layer, which will significantly reduce the degree of heat-transfer from flue gas to water and steam. Our investigations were focused on the slag characteristics of different kinds of herbaceous biomass fuels. Since there is usually a reducing atmosphere present in the direct combustion zone of modern low-NO_x firing systems, it is important to study mineral matter transformation of burned fuel residues in a reducing atmosphere. An excellent device for this type of study is the electric-resistance heated Bunte–Baum softening temperature testing instrument, which was used in this work. Ash chemical composition was analyzed via flame atomic absorption spectrometry and the microstructure of ash was determined using a scanning electron microscope. Crystalline compounds of the ashes were identified by using X-ray powder diffraction. This paper provides an overview of results on the combustion and slag characteristics of herbaceous biomass fuels. The results include chemical compositions, morphology and softening properties of these fuels, with special attention to switch grass and sunflower seed shell.     

Combustion of residual steel gases: laminar flame analysis and turbulent flamelet modeling

In recovery combustion systems operating in the steel industry, energy is provided by boilers burning residual gases of blast furnace and coke oven. To help understand combustion of this particular type of fuels, a numerical study is conducted where the major chemical properties of steel gas flames are collected. The chemical composition of representative fuel and oxidizer steel gas is varied over a large range in calculations using detailed chemistry and complex transport properties. The chemical equilibrium compositions, premixed flame speeds and diffusion flame extinction strain rates are determined. The advantages and shortcomings of the use of vitiated air emerge, and its introduction into the boiler appears as an interesting alternative to reduce NO_x emission. The detailed information obtained with laminar flame calculations is also introduced in flamelet turbulent combustion modeling. Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulations of a test case burner are performed and some comparisons between numerical predictions and experimental results are presented.     

Cogeneration in integrated first and second generation ethanol from sugarcane

Sugarcane bagasse and trash are used as fuels in cogeneration systems for bioethanol production, supplying steam and electricity, but may also be used as feedstock for second generation ethanol. The amount of surplus lignocellulosic material used as feedstock depends on the energy consumption of the production process; residues of the pretreatment and hydrolysis operations (residual cellulose, lignin and eventually biogas from pentoses biodigestion) may be used as fuels and increase the amount of lignocellulosic material available as feedstock in hydrolysis. The configuration of the cogeneration system (boiler pressure, lignocellulosic material consumption and steam production, turbines efficiencies, among others) has a significant impact on consumption of fuel and electricity output; in the integrated first and second generation, it also affects overall ethanol production. Simulations of the integrated first and second generation ethanol production processes were carried out using Aspen Plus, comparing different configurations of the cogeneration systems and pentoses use (biodigestion and fermentation). Economic analysis shows that electricity sale can benefit second generation ethanol, even in relatively small amounts. Environmental analysis shows that the integrated first and second generation process has higher environmental impacts in most of the categories evaluated than first generation.     

以热平衡角度浅析注汽锅炉富氧燃烧节能效率

简要介绍了富氧燃烧技术在油田注气锅炉上的应用及其制取方法;根据已知锅炉参数和燃料特性计算出正常空气和富氧空气燃烧两种情况下的助燃剂量与烟气量;从热平衡角度对富氧燃烧节能效率和燃料节约率进行了理论计算。由计算可知应用富氧燃烧后助燃剂量、烟气量、燃料消耗量、排烟热损失均有不同程度的降低;排烟热损失是影响富氧燃烧节能效率的主要因素,由此提出降低排烟热损失进而提高节能效率的措施,从而为富氧燃烧技术的应用提供参考意见。     

Ternary Blends of Renewable Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil,Advanced Bioethanol,and Marine Gasoil as Potential Marine Biofuel

An alternative for reducing emissions from marine fuel is to blend bio-oil from lignocellulose non-edible feedstocks to diesel fossil fuels. Phase diagrams of the ternary systems were built to represent the transition from heterogeneous regions to homogeneous regions. Four homogeneous blends of bio-oil of eucalyptus-bioethanol-marine gasoil were experimentally characterized with respect to the most important fuel parameters for marine engines: water content, flash point, low heating value, viscosity, and acidity. Blends with closer properties to marine gasoil replacement, lower costs, and environmental impacts should be tested for large engines.     

空气雾化技术在燃油锅炉上的应用

研究设计内混式高效空气雾化轻柴油燃烧器。针对石油、石化、化工行业中锅炉在开工阶段没有燃料气和蒸汽供应,燃烧器的燃气枪和雾化蒸汽油枪无法投用,因此,锅炉装置不能运行。探讨在原燃烧器的基础上,按尽量不改变原燃烧器结构、燃烧方式和尽量少投入的原则,将原蒸汽雾化燃油枪改用空气雾化方式,开工用燃料油采用0#柴油,其它都不作改动。针对冷态试验结果,讨论了气压和油压对火炬形状的影响,油枪燃烧能量和雾化剂耗量,燃烧火盆与雾化角的关系。使用表明油枪喷嘴喷孔夹角、喷孔数、孔径、燃烧火盆、助燃风设计合理,雾化粒度细,燃烧完全,火焰刚直明亮、集中,喷嘴不结焦,操作性能良好。     

The influence of biomass co-combustion on boiler fouling and efficiency

The paper presents an attempt to evaluate the influence of biomass co-combustion on the fouling of boiler convection surfaces. In order to show the influence of co-firing biomass with bituminous coal on boiler efficiency, the calculations of pulverized fuel (PF) OP 140 steam generator have been carried out. Typical Upper Silesian coal with medium fouling inclination has been chosen as a basic fuel. Three kinds of biomass have been taken into consideration: straw, wood and dried sewage sludge. The results confirm that the properties of additional fuels cause deterioration of the boiler efficiency as well as the changes in boilers operational parameters (amount of water injected in attemperators, ash stream, hot air temperature). The biomass during cofiring in fact replaces the coal, but always the additional fuel consumption is higher than that of the substituted coal. Therefore, the actual decrease of coal consumption is smaller than the thermal fraction of the biomass.     

The catalytic conversion of bioethanol to hydrocarbon fuel: A review and study

The problems associated with producing hydrocarbons from bioethanol on the basis of new zeolite-containing catalysts are considered. A flexible technology is devised for converting bioethanol to engine fuel, olefins, and aromatic hydrocarbons—important products for the petrochemical industry. The economic and environmental prospects for replacing fossil fuels with alternative fuels are analyzed. A scheme for a mechanism that allows precision control over the process of bioethanol conversion is proposed. The possibility of hydrogenating a liquid fraction derived from bioethanol and containing aromatic hydrocarbons in order to produce hydrocarbon fuels of various types is studied. A sample of a reactive synthetic fuel meeting the technical requirements for synthetic hydrocarbon aviation fuel for gas-turbine engines was obtained.     

Investigation on idle performance of a spark-ignited ethanol engine with dimethyl ether addition

Dimethyl ether (DME) and ethanol are thought to be alternative fuels for future internal combustion (IC) engines. The experiments in this paper were carried out at idle and stoichiometric conditions to investigate the effect of DME addition on the idle performance of a spark-ignited (SI) ethanol engine. The engine was modified to be fueled with the mixture of DME and ethanol which were injected into the engine intake ports simultaneously. A hybrid electronic control unit (HECU) was specially developed to control the injection timings and durations of ethanol and DME, accomplishing specified excess air ratios and DME addition fractions in the total ethanol-DME fuel mixture. The experimental results demonstrated that, the indicated thermal efficiency was increased by over 20% after DME blending and the flame development and propagation durations were shortened with the increase of DME addition fraction. Meanwhile, HC emissions were obviously decreased with the increasing fraction of DME addition, while NOx emissions were slightly increased. Therefore, DME addition is a potentially applicable method to improve the idle performance of SI ethanol engines.     

Specific consumption of liquid biofuels in gasoline fuelled engines

Oxygenated fuels increase fuel consumption due to their low enthalpy of combustion; however, their high antiknock index renders them suitable for use in engines with a high compression rate, increasing their thermal yield. This study evaluated the performance of biorenewable oxygenated fuels (ethanol and isoamyl alcohol) and partially renewable fuels (ETBE: ethyl tert-butyl ether, TAEE: tert-amyl ethyl ether and di-TAE: di-tert-amyl ether) with high degree of purity and in mixtures with automotive gasoline, based on tests with Otto cycle engines. Among the oxygenated fuels evaluated here, di-TAE was found to present the best characteristics of performance, both individually and in mixtures with gasoline.     

Experimental investigation on injection characteristics of bioethanol-diesel fuel and bioethanol-biodiesel blends

This paper analyses the fuel injection characteristics of bioethanol-diesel fuel and bioethanol-biodiesel blends considered as fuel for diesel engines. Attention is focused on the injection characteristics which significantly influence the engine characteristics and subsequently the exhaust emissions. In this context the following injection characteristics have been investigated experimentally: fuelling, injection timing, injection delay, injection duration, mean injection rate, and injection pressure. The tested fuels were neat mineral diesel fuel, neat biodiesel made from rapeseed oil, bioethanol/diesel fuel and bioethanol/biodiesel blends up to 15% (v/v) bioethanol with an increment of 5%. The fuels blends were experimentally investigated in a fuel injection M system at rated condition (FL, 1100 rpm), peak torque (FL, 850 rpm), and maximum pump speed (1100 rpm) for different partial loads (PL 75% and PL 50%), at ambient temperature.It has been proven that for all operating regimens tested, the addition of bioethanol to biodiesel reduces fuelling, injection timing, injection duration, mean injection rate and maximum injection pressure and increases injection delay compared to pure biodiesel. Meanwhile, increasing bioethanol in diesel fuel shows no significant variations or a slightly increase in fuelling, injection timing, injection duration, and mean injection rate and a decrease in injection delay and maximum injection pressure, compared to pure diesel fuel.The influence of bioethanol in biodiesel is much more significant that in diesel fuel; it has a beneficial effect on biodiesel injection characteristics because bioethanol addition brings them nearer to the diesel fuel one and it is expected to decrease biodiesel NO_x emissions.     

Various strategies for reducing Nox emissions of biodiesel fuel used in conventional diesel engines: A review

Energy demand, decreasing fossil fuel reserves, and health-related issues about pollutants have led researchers to search for renewable alternative fuels to either partially or fully replace fossil fuels. Among many alternative fuels, biodiesel became one of the most popular choices due to similar properties to that of conventional diesel. Biodiesel produces slightly lower brake thermal efficiency compared to that of conventional biodiesel, but has an advantage of reduced emissions of CO₂, CO, HC, and smoke. However, biodiesel shows higher NOx emission which, when used in increased biodiesel market, may become a serious problem. Various strategies were attempted by different researcher to reduce NOx emissions. In this paper, various strategies, adapted for reducing NOx emissions of biodiesel fuel used in diesel engines for automobile applications, are reviewed and discussed. The strategies are grouped into three major groups, namely combustion treatments, exhaust after-treatments, and fuel treatments. Among various strategies discussed, fuel treatments, such as low temperature combustion, mixing fuel additives and reformulating fuel composition, reduce NOx emission without compromising other emission and performance characteristics and they seem to be promising for future biodiesel fuel.     

煤粉工业锅炉技术发展及应用

中国煤粉工业锅炉借鉴油气锅炉和德国煤粉工业锅炉技术理念,经历立项研发、中试验证和工业示范,系统技术逐步成熟,自2010年起,实现规模化工业应用。煤粉工业锅炉系统具有高热效率、低烟气污染物排放等优点,有效带动了燃煤工业锅炉产业发展。笔者论述了煤粉工业锅炉技术与发展,重点介绍了煤粉工业锅炉的关键技术,并对主要技术进行对比,分析了煤粉工业锅炉的工业应用情况,最后提出了煤粉工业锅炉技术发展方向。煤粉工业锅炉系统由燃料煤粉生产、储供、油气点火、燃烧、锅炉本体、烟气净化以及自动化控制等系统构成。锅炉热效率大于91%,烟气污染物达到国家超低排放标准,系统技术符合国家煤炭清洁利用方向。燃料煤粉生产采用一步法工艺,通过强化流动性和安全措施,现可实现最大为1 000 m^3安全存储量。锅炉供粉采用气动活化、无脉动给料及高速引射流浓相输送技术,已实现输送阻力低于20 kPa,粉风固气比大于2.5 kg/m^3,供料精度在±3.0%以内,最大供料量为5 t/h的浓相供料技术与装备,广泛应用于锅炉供料系统。供料量在2.5 t/h,供料精度在±2.0%和±1.0%以内的第三代和第四代供料器也分别开展了工业验证和样机的试制工作,并取得了阶段性的成果。煤粉燃烧器采用逆喷式回流式结构,设计工作依据其结构特征,通过模拟气流扩展角、回流区域范围、回流量、旋流强度以及温度和速度场等研究开展,再经过实际工程应用,进一步验证优化设计参数,最终实现燃烧器的逐级放大。天然气/煤粉双燃料燃烧器具有便捷切换和快速着火功能。风冷燃烧器采用内外双级旋流供风燃烧技术,具有点火迅速、燃烧稳定、燃烧效率高和初始NOx排放低等优点。随着煤粉锅炉系统测控技术向智能化、网络化和集成化方向发展。锅炉烟气脱硫除尘采用NGD高倍率灰钙循环脱硫技术,具有占地小,运行成本低等特点,在低钙硫摩尔比下,系统脱硫和除尘效率分别达到90%和99.95%以上。低温炭基预氧化脱硝耦合NGD协同烟气净化技术具有工艺简单,耗水少,废物资源再利用,无二次污染产生等优点,更加适合于煤粉工业锅炉的烟气净化。煤粉工业锅炉在发展历程中通过关键技术和装备优化升级,在大型化、模块化和系列化方向已取得成效,在节能性、环保性和经济性等方面较常规工业锅炉具有显著优势,技术已达到世界先进水平。未来随着国家能源结构优化,天然气/煤粉锅炉、低氮燃烧、生物质复合半焦粉及协同化烟气净化等技术的开发与成熟,煤粉工业锅炉技术将成为煤炭清洁燃烧利用主要技术之一。     

Start‐Up and Load‐Change Behavior of a Catalytic Burner for a Fuel‐Cell‐Based APU for Diesel Fuel

The catalytic burner CAB 4 was developed for a fuel‐cell‐based diesel‐APU (auxiliary power unit) with a capacity of 14.5 kW_th,APU. In order to operate a catalytic burner in such an APU, several requirements must be met. Normal operation involves combustion of anode off‐gas from the fuel cell. If the fuel cell malfunctions or if the gas quality is insufficient, the burner must also be able to fully convert the reformate while by‐passing the fuel cell. It must be possible to catalytically ignite the burner using a reformate with increased CO‐concentration. The burner must fully convert all combustible components in the fuel‐gas at all operating points. The energy contained in the fuel gas is utilized in the CAB to generate superheated steam with no oscillations and to supply this steam to the autothermal reformer. When the fuel processing system is being shut down, the burner should be able to continue providing steam for sweeping the downstream reactors for a limited period of time. Catalytic ignition of the CAB 4 was demonstrated with a reformate containing up to 5 mol.% CO. The behavior of the burner was characterized in steady‐state operation, during load changes, during transitions in the operating mode, and during shut‐down.     

Co-firing of coal and cattle feedlot biomass (FB) fuels. Part I. Feedlot biomass (cattle manure) fuel quality and characteristics

The use of cattle manure (referred to as feedlot biomass, FB) as a fuel source has the potential to solve both waste disposal problems and reduce fossil fuel based CO₂ emissions. Previous attempts to utilize animal waste as a sole fuel source have met with only limited success due to the higher ash, higher moisture, and inconsistent properties of FB. Thus, a co-firing technology is proposed where FB is ground, mixed with coal, and then fired in existing pulverized coal fired boiler burner facilities. A research program was undertaken in order to determine: (1) FB fuel characteristics, (2) combustion characteristics when fired along with coal in a small scale 30 kW_t (100,000 BTU/h) boiler burner facility, and (3) combustion and fouling characteristics when fired along with coal in a large pilot scale 150 kW_t (500,000 BTU/h DOE-NETL boiler burner facility). These results are reported in three parts. Part I will present a methodology of fuel collection, fuel characteristics of the FB, its relation to ration fed, and change in fuel characteristics due to composting. It was found that FB has approximately half the heating value of coal, twice the volatile matter of coal, four times the N content of coal on heat basis, and due to soil contamination during collection, the ash content is almost 9-10 times that of low ash (5%) coal. The addition of <5% crop residues had little apparent effect on heating value. The main value of composting for combustion fuel would be to improve physical properties and to provide homogeneity. The energy potential of FB diminished with composting time and storage; however, the DAF HHV is almost constant for ration, FB-raw, partially composted and finished composted. The fuel N per GJ is considerably high compared to coal, which may result in increased NO_x emissions. The N and S contents per GJ increase with composting of FB while the volatile ash oxide% decreases with composting. Based on heating values and alkaline oxides, partial composting seems preferable to a full composting cycle. Even though the percentage of alkaline oxides is reduced in the ash, the increased total ash percentage results in an increase of total alkaline oxides per unit mass of fuel. The adiabatic flame temperature for most of the biomass fuels can be empirically correlated with ash and moisture percentage.     

Investigations on surrogate fuels for high-octane oxygenated gasolines

Gasoline is a complex mixture that possesses a quasi-continuous spectrum of hydrocarbon constituents. Surrogate fuels that decrease the chemical and/or physical complexity of gasoline are used to enhance the understanding of fundamental processes involved in internal combustion engines (ICEs). Computational tools are largely used in ICE development and in performance optimization; however, it is not possible to model full gasoline in kinetic studies because the interactions among the chemical constituents are not fully understood and the kinetics of all gasoline components are not known. Modeling full gasoline with computer simulations is also cost prohibitive. Thus, surrogate mixtures are studied to produce improved models that represent fuel combustion in practical devices such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) and spark ignition (SI) engines. Simplified mixtures that represent gasoline performance in commercial engines can be used in investigations on the behavior of fuel components, as well as in fuel development studies. In this study, experimental design was used to investigate surrogate fuels. To this end, SI engine dynamometer tests were conducted, and the performance of a high-octane, oxygenated gasoline was reproduced. This study revealed that mixtures of iso-octane, toluene, n-heptane and ethanol could be used as surrogate fuels for oxygenated gasolines. These mixtures can be used to investigate the effect of individual components on fuel properties and commercial engines performance.     

Diesel and rapeseed methyl ester (RME) pilot fuels for hydrogen and natural gas dual-fuel combustion in compression-ignition engines

This paper presents experimental results of rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and diesel fuel used separately as pilot fuels for dual-fuel compression-ignition (CI) engine operation with hydrogen gas and natural gas (the two gaseous fuels are tested separately). During hydrogen dual-fuel operation with both pilot fuels, thermal efficiencies are generally maintained. Hydrogen dual-fuel CI engine operation with both pilot fuels increases NO_x emissions, while smoke, unburnt HC and CO levels remain relatively unchanged compared with normal CI engine operation. During hydrogen dual-fuel operation with both pilot fuels, high flame propagation speeds in addition to slightly increased ignition delay result in higher pressure-rise rates, increased emissions of NO_x and peak pressure values compared with normal CI engine operation. During natural gas dual-fuel operation with both pilot fuels, comparatively higher unburnt HC and CO emissions are recorded compared with normal CI engine operation at low and intermediate engine loads which are due to lower combustion efficiencies and correspond to lower thermal efficiencies. This could be due to the pilot fuel failing to ignite the natural gas-air charge on a significant scale. During dual-fuel operation with both gaseous fuels, an increased overall hydrogen-carbon ratio lowers CO₂ emissions compared with normal engine operation. Power output (in terms of brake mean effective pressure, BMEP) as well as maximum engine speed achieved are also limited. This results from a reduced gaseous fuel induction capability in the intake manifold, in addition to engine stability issues (i.e. abnormal combustion). During all engine operating modes, diesel pilot fuel and RME pilot fuel performed closely in terms of exhaust emissions. Overall, CI engines can operate in the dual-fuel mode reasonably successfully with minimal modifications. However, increased NO_x emissions (with hydrogen use) and incomplete combustion at low and intermediate loads (with natural gas use) are concerns; while port gaseous fuel induction limits power output at high speeds.     

Performance and exhaust emission characteristics of a spark ignition engine using ethanol and ethanol-reformed gas

Since ethanol is a renewable source of energy and has lower carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions than gasoline, ethanol produced from biomass is expected to be used more frequently as an alternative fuel. It is recognized that for spark ignition (SI) engines, ethanol has the advantages of high octane and high combustion speed and the disadvantage of ignition difficulties at low temperatures. An additional disadvantage is that ethanol may cause extra wear and corrosion of electric fuel pumps. On-board hydrogen production out of ethanol is an alternative plan.Ethanol has been used in Brazil as a passenger vehicle fuel since 1979, and more than six million vehicles on US highways are flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). These vehicles can operate on E85 - a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.This paper investigates the influence of ethanol fuel on SI engine performance, thermal efficiency and emissions. The combustion characteristics of hydrogen enriched gaseous fuel made from ethanol are also examined.Ethanol has excellent anti-knock qualities due to its high octane number and a high latent heat of evaporation, which makes the temperature of the intake manifold lower. In addition to the effect of latent heat of evaporation, the difference in combustion products compared with gasoline further decreases combustion temperature, thereby reducing cooling heat loss. Reductions in CO₂, nitrogen oxide (NOx), and total hydrocarbons (THC) combustion products for ethanol vs. gasoline are described.     

Numerical investigation of Solid Recovered Fuels’ co-firing with brown coal in large scale boilers – Evaluation of different co-combustion modes

In the current work the co-combustion of Solid Recovered Fuels’ (SRFs’) with brown coal in large scale pulverised coal boilers under different operational conditions is numerically investigated. In order to overcome the difficulty of the complex, inhomogeneous nature of waste recovered fuels, SRF is modelled as a mixture of two different fractions, the biogenic and the plastic one. For each fraction different combustion mechanisms are presented, whilst for the first time the proposed combustion mechanism of the plastic fraction is incorporated in a commercial CFD code and validated against available experimental data. A 600 MW_e brown coal boiler is simulated as a reference and its operational characteristics are compared with parameterised scenarios of SRF co-firing conditions. Based on the numerical results, the optimum co-firing concepts regarding the more efficient operation of the boiler (hot spots and fuel’s burnout) are identified, decreasing the environmental impact of the boiler’s emissions.