Engine

Characterization of biomass producer gas as fuel for stationary gas engines in combined heat and power production (2MB)
Jesper Ahrenfeldt, Danish Technological University, March 2007

Abstract: The aim of this project has been the characterization of biomass producer gas as a fuel for stationary gas engines in heat and power production. More than 3200 hours of gas engine operation, with producer gas as fuel, has been conducted at the biomass gasification combined heat and power (CHP)demonstration and research plant,named “Viking” at the Technical University of Denmark. The plant and engine have been operated continuously and unmanned. Producer gas properties and contaminations have been investigated. No detectable tar content was observed in the gas that goes to the engine; this was confirmed by three different measuring methods. Likewise, no particles were detected in the gas. Considerable amounts of NH3 were measured in the produced gas.An analysis of engine operation at varying load has been carried out. Standard emissions, load and efficiency have been measured at varying operating conditions ranging from 50% to 90% load. Biomass producer gas is an excellent lean burn engine fuel: Operation of a natural aspirated engine has been achieved for 1.2<λ<2.8 without significant reduction of engine efficiency. Relatively high emission of unburned CO was seen at all operating conditions when compared to the current European regulations for CO emissions. The high CO emission from producer gas engine operation is primarily due to the high content of CO in the fuel and is therefore, like UHC emissions from natural gas engines, a measure of fuel passing unburned through the combustion. NOx emissions are in general not a problem for lean burn producer gas operation, except for producer gas with very high concentrations of NH3. Measurements of the emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)showed that there were no detectable PAH in exhaust gas from the engine when it is operated on producer gas. The emissions of aldehydes and laughter gas were measured to be significantly lower for producer gas operation than for natural gas. Analysis of the combustion process for producer gas operation by applying a heat release model showed a constant low level of cyclic variations for a wide range of λ-values. The absence of extreme combustion cycles characterizes producer gas as a good lean burn fuel and indicates that producer gas may be applied in engines with high compression ratio. The engine heads have been removed several times in order to inspect the internal parts for formation of deposits, wear and corrosion, and no significant built up has been seen. Frequent oil analysis has been conducted and no significant degeneration has been seen.

Published: (ISBN: 87-7475-343-6) , pages: 80, 200712

Latest Developments in the Use of Wood Gas in Gas Engines (pdf)
Thomas Elsenbruch, GE Jenbacher, Jenbach, Austria, IDGTE Toronto, Canada; 12. June 2008

Jenbacher gas engines – Overview 1
A leading manufacturer of gas-fueled
reciprocating engines for power
generation.
• Power range from 0.25MW to 3MW,
4 platforms / 10 products
• Fuel flexibility: Natural gas or a variety of
renewable or alternative gases
(e.g., landfill gas, biogas, coal mine gas)
• Plant configurations: Generator sets,
cogeneration systems, container solutions
• Delivered engines: about 8,000 units / 9,000 MW

Experiences with Wood gasification
•Harboore / Denmark;
Woodgas; H2: 15 - 18%; CO: 25-28%; LHV = 6.8 MJ/Nm³
•Güssing / Austria
Woodgas; H2: 35 - 40%; CO: 20-25%; LHV = 10.5 MJ/Nm³
•Spiez / Switzerland
Woodgas; H2: 12 - 15 %; CO: 18-20%; LHV = 5.4 MJ/Nm³
•Kokemäki / Finnland
Woodgas; H2: 15 - 18%; CO: 18 - 20%; LHV = 6.1 MJ/Nm³
•Skive / Denmark
Woodgas; H2: 15 - 18%; CO: 18 - 20%; LHV = 6.1 MJ/Nm³

Crucial points in the utilization of
wood gas
- Gas cleaning technology
- Fulfillment of emissions
Installed woodgas plants

Summary
wide range of H2 gases can be used in gas engines
key factor is laminar flame speed
main technical barriers:
gas contamination (tar, humidity....)
CO- emissions

The Institute of Gas Turbine and Diesel Engineers (Canadian Branch)
2008 Spring Seminar: Renewable Fuel Utilization
Seminar Presentations

University of Montana Bio-Energy Project: Energy Tech Practicum(5.4 MB ppt)
Brian Kerns, University of Montana, Alternative Energy Research and Development, brian.kerns@umontana.edu August 4, 2008

Biomax 25

Biomass Project
Sponsored by USDA
3 year project, begun 10/2006
Utilizes Community Power Corp.’s BioMax® technology
Custom-built portable trailer
$500,000 for BioMax & trailer
Convert wood residue to
Electricity
Thermal (heat) energy

Project Concept:
Is it economically viable to transport portable distributed energy generators into locations that are producing biomass residues?

BioMax 25
- 25 kilowatts electrical
= 200,000 Btu/h heat
- Elec. & heat energy for 15 avg. MT homes
- 50 lbs/hr wood chips
- 1,750 scf/h prod. gas
- Char/ash production 0.75 lbs/hr
- Soil amendment
- 70% overall efficiency

Fuel Equivalents
1 hr operation = 50 lb wood = 400,000 Btu
= 3.3 gal gasoline
= 8 gal diesel
= 4.5 gal propane
= 2.9 gal crude oil
= 33.3 lbs coal
= 387.9 cubic feet natural gas

BioMax Emissions
Complies w/ CA air stds
Lbs/kWh
NOX 0.00065
CO 0.0000295
VOC 0.000031
PM2-5 0.0003
PM10 0.0000
CO2 7.7260
Hg 0.0000
Pb 0.0000
SO2 <0.0030

See also:
Woody Biomass Lights Up Researchers Capitol Press, 8/22/08

Prototype gasifier turns wood chips into versatile fuel source

Barbara Coyner
For the Capital Press

MISSOULA, Mont. - With a flip of a switch, Brian Kerns can turn wood chips into energy for a car, light at a remote work site, or electricity for the energy grid. . .

For the economics see:
Fuel to Burn: Economics of Converting Forest Thinnings to Energy Using BioMax in Southern Oregon. E. M. (Ted) Bilek, Kenneth E. Skog, Jeremy Fried, Glenn Christensen, USFS General Technical Report FPL-GTR-157

Woodgas.net
Jonathan Spreadborough,Nebraska, May 11, 2008
1990 Ford F-250 fuel injected 5.0L

My truck is a dual fuel truck. I can run on wood or gasoline. I am now working on a hybrid mode, I purchased a chip and chip burner from moates.net and am using Paul Booths ECC Editor to work with my fuel injection and spark tables to allow me to meter in some gasoline for better acceleration and to make up for any varying woodgas production conditions. Many thanks are due to Paul Booth for not only writing the ECC Editor program but for the time he personally put in making a definition file for my trucks ECC. The process of running in a hybrid mode is still in the development stages, I have met with some success. This page will be updated as things progress.

See Woodgas.net

Operating Engines on Woodgas
Bill Olsen, St. Lawrence University, Slideshare, 2007

Development of producer gas engines

Around Sweden with Wood in the Tank
www.vedbil.se June 12, 2007

Around Sweden With Wood in the Tank

Examples of Indian Institute of Science Gasifiers
Mrs. Gayathri V. Combustion, Gasification & Propulsion Laboratory (CGPL), Dept. of Aerospace Engineering,Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India January 29, 2007

Arashi Hi - Tech Bio Power Pvt Ltd , Sultanpet, Tamil Nadu

The Making of the Kalle Gasifier
Torsten Källe, January/February 1942
(Translation to English 2000, Joacim Persson joacim@ymex.net)

Gasifier and Engine Tables
Kevin Chisholm, October 11, 2006

Attached is a Spread Sheet "Gasifier and Engine Tables" that should answer a number of questions relating to diesel fuel displaced by using wood gas in a dual fueled engine, or the amount of wood required to provide sufficient gas to run a Spark Ignition (SI) engine of any size.

I put this Spread Sheet together, based on fundamental work done by Doug Williams of Fluidyne, www.fluidynenz.250x.com

Enter the engine speed in the colored block, in Table 1, and this gives results for an engine of 1000 cc displacement. In Table 2, the engine displacement can be entered, and this table gives the expected results for an engine of that displacement.

For a given engine size, if you know its petrol consumption now, the Table 2 would tell you how much wood you would require to operate the engine under similar load conditions. I hope you find this helpful

Best wishes,

Kevin