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Biomass Burning Fuels
Overview
Direct biomass combustion (solid fuel internal combustion) eliminates much of the costly fuel processing associated with making either bio-oils, ethanol, or standard gasifiers
To effectively achieve direct biomass combustion in a gas turbine, Brayton’s approach burns the solid fuel at atmospheric pressure in the turbine exhaust, thereby preventing erosion in the turbine section, and simplifying the fuel delivery system. The high-temperature reaction zone provides very complete combustion and low emission levels.
Brayton’s design entails a two stage centrifugal compressor with a 1.2 MW two stage axial turbine combined with an intercooled externally-fired Recuperated System.
Burning media and torrefied samples
Testing at Brayton’s Combustion Lab(1MW – thermal = 1/4th scale)
Commercial Applications
Business case for EPS1200 modular
biomass-electricity power plant
- Detailed product studies indicate a significant demand for a mid-size, high reliability power plant to convert biomass to electricity.
- More reliable vs piston engines
- More economical (capital and O&M) vs steam turbines
- A small (1 MW) scale direct biomass plant can be ‘invisible’ to the local community
- Ultra-low pollution emissions
Intercooled Recuperated Gas Turbine
with two operating points
- 1.2MW to 30 C on natural gas or liquid fuel
- 900 kWe on solid biomass (Back-heated)
- Variable speed drive for improved part-load efficiency, hot-day power rating, and provide ample starting power.
- Efficiency = 40% LHV electric w/natural gas
- Efficiency = 24% LHV Solid fuel combustion
- Gas turbine combustion:
– CARB compliant emissions with conventional and bio-fuels
– US EPA compliant emissions with solid fuel combustion