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S C I E N C E P A S S I O N T E C H N O L O G Y
u www.tugraz.at
BIO-CCHP: Advanced biomass CCHP based on
gasification, SOFC and cooling machines
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella, 10.10.2019
Gernot Pongratz (TU-Graz)
Stefan Martini (Bioenergy 2020+)
Project introduction
11th ERA-NET Bioenergy Joint Call /
1st add. call of BESTF3
2 2
General overview
Gernot Pongratz
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
3 3
Austria
• Graz University of Technology (TUG), Institute of Thermal Engineering
Coordinator; Scientific Partner / University
• Bioenergy 2020+ GmbH (BE2020): Scientific Partner / Research organization
• SynCraft Engineering GmbH (SYC): Company partner / SME
• Hargassner Ges.mbH (HRG): Company partner / SME
Poland
• Institute of Power Engineering (IEN): Scientific partner / Research organization
• Modern Technologies and Filtration Sp. z o.o (MTF): Company partner / SME
Sweden
• RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Energy and Circular Economy (RISE):
Scientific partner / Research organization
• Cortus Energy AB (CRT): Company partner / SME
Consortium
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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Overall objectives of BIO-CCHP
10.10.2019
• Development of a novel trigeneration system, BIO-CCHP, for production
of electricity, heat and cold from biomass based on:
(i) Biomass gasification reactor (ii) SOFC (iii) Absorption cooling machine
• High flexibility in terms of feedstock, plant size, gasification technology,
load changes and demand of power (max. efficiency), heat and cold.
• Target electrical efficiency: > 40%
• Preliminary estimation of reduction of normalized operating costs
(€/kWh) compared to reference biomass-CHP based on gasification:
approx. 30%
Gasifier
Ashes
SOFC
Air(20°C, λ=3)
Syngas (800 kWchem)
hcold,gasifier = 80%
(480 Nm³/h; 6 MJ/m³)
Pel,SOFC: 420 kW
hSOFC = 52.5%
(Fuel utilization = 70%)
Off-gas (240 kWchem)
(140 Nm³/h; 1,8 MJ/m³)Cathode
Anode
Qloss
Biomass
(1000 kW)
Post-
combustion
800°C
(125 kWth)
800°C
(625 kWth)
800°C
(125 kWth)
1050°C
(990 kWth)
Gas cleaning
625°C
(485kWth)
550°C
(505 kWth)
Qloss:
75 kW
Recu-
perator
Absorption
machineCold: 170 kW
COP = 0.8 (1-stage)
Heat:
235 kWFlue gas
(80°C, 60 kWth)
Air(20°C, λ=0.25)
300°C
(270 kWth)
BIO-CCHP
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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Key issues to be addressed within the project
10.10.2019
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
WP1: Project management
WP2: Gasification technology
WP3: Gas cleaning and producer
gas characterization
WP4: SOFC
WP5: Techno-economic analysis
and optimization
Y1 Y2 Y3
WP2 Gasification technology: Adaptation and enhancement of gasification
technologies to optimize the coupling with a SOFC.
WP3 Gas cleaning and producer gas characterization: Development of a hot
gas purification process for the proposed BIO-CCHP concept
WP4 SOFC: Optimization of SOFC operation based on long-term tests (> 300h)
and supported by CFD simulations
WP5 Techno-economic analysis and optimization: basis for an optimized
integration of the chiller and an optimization of costs and efficiency of the novel
CCHP technology
Start: April 2018
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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Interaction of work packages and partners
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
7 7
Techno-economic evaluations and industrialization
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
Evaluation
• feedstock
• gasifier type
• inclusion of a gas turbine
• absorption or compression machine
• storage systems
Discussion
• barriers for market implementation
• industrialization plan.
Analysis and optimization of the proposed BIO-CCHP,
including a comparison to current state-of-the-art
biomass CHP systems.
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WP3: Gas cleaning
Stefan Martini
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
9 9 Gasification technologies
WP3: Gas cleaning
10.10.2019
SynCraft Hargassner CORTUS Institute of
Power Engineering
MTF TU Graz,
IWT
Gasification technology
Staged, floating fixed bed
Fixed bed downdraft
Entrainment flow gasifier
Fixed bed, downdraft
Fixed bed, updraft
Fluidized Bed
Gasification agent Air Air Steam Air, Steam Air,
Steam+O2 Steam
Feedstock specification
Wood chips Wood chips,
pellets Pulverized
pyrolysis char Wood chips,
pellets
Wood chips, chicken feathers
Wood pellets
Nominal power (feedstock)
1 MW 0.1 MW 1 MW 0.15 MW 3.5 MW 1.5 kW
Status of plant Commercial
plant Commercial
series product
Operating in campaigns, test plant
Research facility
Commercial plant
Research facility
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
10 10 Producer gas matrix
WP3: Gas cleaning
10.10.2019
permanent gases sulfur compunds alkali & halogenes BTXE & PAH H2O H2S HCl benzene H2 COS KCl toluol O2 CS2 NaCl xylol_o CO SO2 KOH xylol_m CO2 Thiophene NaOH xylol_p CH4 Benzo[b]thiophene styrol N2 Dibenzothiophen Naphthalin Ethane Mercaptans AceNaphthylen Ethene Thioethers AceNaphthen Acethylene Disulfides Fluoren Propane Phenanthren Propen nitrogen compounds Anthracen i-Butane NH3 Fluoranthen n-Butane HCN Pyren
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
11 11 Evaluation of measurement methods
WP3: Gas cleaning
10.10.2019
Online methods for permanent gases,
inorganic compounds and BTXE
heated FTIR-analysing system
Micro-GC-System (CP-Sil 5 CB and a PoraPlot
U column)
Multi component gas analysing device including
an infrared photometric detector (NDIR) and a
thermal conductivity detector (TCD)
Offline methods for
H2S, photometric & ICP-OES
NH3, photometric
organic sulphur components
via GC-MS
tar-compounds (BTXE, PAHs)
via GC-MS
FTIR
GA
Micro-GC
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
12 12 Evaluation of measurement: C2-compounds
comparison µ-GC and FTIR
WP3: Gas cleaning
10.10.2019
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0,006
0,008
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Acety
len
[vo
l%,
db
]
Acetylen [%], µ-GC Acetylen , tr - FTIR
0,00
0,05
0,10
0,15
0,20
0,25
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0,45
0,50
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Eth
en
[vo
l%,
db
]
Ethen [%], µ-GC Ethen , tr - FTIR
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
13 13 Desulphurisation tests - methodology
WP3: Gas cleaning
10.10.2019
Key data desulfurization unit:
fixed bed adsorption column of stainless steel
diameter of 40mm
150mm active height
320 to 380 °C, (tubular furnace, max 900°C)
Gas volume flow 0.25 to 0.5 m³/h, usc
ZnO-based sorbent, spherical shape 3 to 4 mm
with an inactive core as support material
+ good properties regarding adsorption-
capacity, resistance against thermal stress
and good mechanical properties.
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
14 14 Desulphurisation tests - exemplary results
WP3: Gas cleaning
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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WP4: SOFC
Gernot Pongratz
10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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WP4: SOFC
Cell performance
Cell degradation
• carbon deposition
• catalyst poisoning
Operating point
• syngas composition
• temperature
• electric load
Syngas cleaning level
• tar compounds
• sulfur compounds
• chlorine compounds
• dust
=f
? 10.10.2019
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
17 17 Mobile testbench
(in progress) Single cell testbench
WP4: SOFC
10.10.2019
Strategy
Evaluation
of relevant
- Fuel gas
- Cell type
- Impurity
amounts
→ promising
configuration
H2, H2O, CO, CO2,
CH4 mixtures
→ advantageous
component ratios
synthetic
product gas
→ operation
stability
addition of
H2S, HCl, Tars
→ understanding
of degradation
Short-term
experiments
Long-term
experiments
impure
synthetic
product gas
→ operation
stability
Real coupling
IWT gasifier
+ gas cleaning
→ degradation
stability under
„real“
conditions
CFD simulation
acceleration
Degradation model development & simulations
→ performance as a function of degradation
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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WP4: SOFC
10.10.2019
Type: Ni/YSZ ASC SOFC
Supplier: IEN
Size: 10x10cm²
+ high H2 reactivity
+ low cost (injection molded)
- low contaminant tolerance
K 30 µm
BL 1.5 µm
E 4 µm
AF 7 µm
AS 500 or
1000 µm
AC 3 µm
Type: Ni/GDC ESC SOFC
Supplier: IKTS
Size: 10x10cm²
+ high contaminant tolerance
+ better failure behaviour
- less performance
Crack
Ni/GDC
LSM
SSZ
H2, CO, CH4
H2, CO, CH4
O2
O2
ESC
ASC
O2-
O2-
R
R
2e-
2e-
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
Cells used in the project
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S C I E N C E P A S S I O N T E C H N O L O G Y
u www.tugraz.at
Thank you for your attention!
www.bio-cchp.net
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Key issues to be addressed within the project (1)
10.10.2019
Technology Current limitations Proposed solutions in BIO-CCHP
Gasification
Systems are not
optimized for
SOFCs.
Higher fuel flexibility
is needed.
optimize operating conditions of several
gasifiers / feedstocks
coupling with a SOFC.
switch in an updraft gasifier from air to H2O
/ O2 gasification.
Gas
cleaning
High temperature
cleaning is not
optimized.
Emissions of minor
impurities in different
gasifiers and required
cleaning methods
are not known.
Development and optimization of a mobile
high temperature gas cleaning unit with
experiments at different gasifiers.
Development of cleaning methods for minor
impurities of producer gas from low cost
biomass.
Producer gas characterization before / after
cleaning, including all SOFC-relevant
compounds.
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
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Key issues to be addressed within the project (2)
10.10.2019
Technology Current limitations Proposed solutions in BIO-CCHP
SOFC
The optimal
operation
conditions for
different producer
gas compositions
are unknown, as
well as the
influence of minor
impurities in the
long term
Determination, based on long term tests (>300h)
and supported with a CFD dedicated model, of:
Optimal (ηSOFC > 40%) SOFC process
conditions for different producer gas
compositions.
Degradation effects caused by minor
impurities: alkali metals or chlorine
compounds (besides sulphur, dust and tars).
Cooling
machine
Integration with
SOFCs is not
resolved.
To model and evaluate the required working
conditions for an absorption chiller driven by the
high temperature SOFC heat.
BLAZE Meeting, Rotondella
