Study of Ash Sintering Temperature and Ash Deposition Behavior during Co-Firing of Polish Bituminous Coal with Barley Straw Using Non-Standard Tests

Abstract

The need to reduce CO2 emissions forces the use of biomass as a fuel in the conventional energy conversion process implemented by combustion. Burning biomass alone can be problematic because of the high potential for slugging and fouling on boiler heating surfaces. Therefore, co-firing of biomass with coal is used. This article presents the results of a study of biomass blends of barley, straw, and hard coal biomass from the Polish Makoszowy mine. The sintering of ash from biomass-coal blends was studied by experimental non-standard methods, such as the fracture stress and the pressure drop test. The results were confirmed with the result of thermodynamic modeling using FactSage 8.0 software. Additionally, ash deposition tests were performed in a 3.5 m boiler. The tests conducted showed a significant effect of the addition of biomass to hard coal on the formation of ash deposits on the heating surfaces of the boiler. In addition, the usefulness of non-standard methods in the assessment of the degree of fouling and slugging hazard was confirmed.