Thermal power of small scale manually fed boiler

Abstract

This study reviews test results of the combustion of square soybean straw bales used as fuel in manually fed boiler with nominal thermal power of 120 kWth. The influence of the mass flow rate (180, 265, 350, 435, and 520 kg h-1) of inlet air and flue gas recirculation (0%, 16.5%, and 33%) fed to the boiler furnace was continuously monitored. Direct method was used for determination of the boiler thermal power. Correlation between boiler thermal power and bale residence time has been observed and simple empirical equation has been derived. General conclusions are as follows: the increase of the flow rate of inlet air passing through the boiler furnace results in decrease of the bale residence time and increase of the boiler thermal power. Share of the flue gas recirculation of 16.5% increases bale residence time and decreases average boiler thermal power in all regimes except in the regime with inlet air flow rate of 265 kg h-1. In regime with 0% flue gas recirculation boiler thermal power was higher than nominal in regimes with 435 and 520 kg h-1 inlet air flow rates. In regimes having inlet air mass flow rate of 350 kg h-1 boiler thermal power is equal to the nominal power of 120 kWth.