Thermochemical energy conversion
The research is targeted at production of fuels, materials, electricity and heat through combustion, gasification and pyrolysis of fuels.
Competence areas
Fuel conversion
Research field: Conversion of solid fuels during thermochemical conversion processes. Transport phenomena inside fuel particles, and product distribution and characterization (oil, tar, soot, and char).
Research aims: To understand and predict fuel conversion kinetics, to avoid problems related to unconverted fuels, to maximize the desired product yields and properties dependent on the technical applications, and to develop high-fidelity sub-models for CFD simulation.
Ash Transformation and Reactions/Emissions
Research field: Studies of the behaviour of ash forming elements/ash forming matter in thermochemical conversion processes (e.g. ash- and particle formation/- emissions, bed agglomeration, fouling).
Research aims: To understand, predict and avoid ash related problems in thermochemical conversion processes as well as suggest processes for production of more useful ashes (e.g. nutrients, construction materials)
Reacting Multi-Phase Flow
Research field: Studies of multi-phase, turbulent reacting flow in thermo-chemical conversion processes (e.g. entrained flow gasification, powder combustion and heat exchangers). Assessment of submodels for particle transport, turbulent, reactions etc.
Research aims: To develop models that can be used for optimisation and trouble shooting of industrial scale thermochemical conversion processes as well as for developing new processes. To perform advanced experiments that can complement the theoretical models.
Advanced experimental methods
Research field: Laser heating, laser diagnosis, particle-, gaseous- and deposit measurements. Advanced experiments in lab-, bench-, pilot- and full-scale FB’s-, fixed bed’s- and powder/entrained flow- combustors and gasifiers.
Research aims: To support the research activities of thermochemical conversion processes (e.g. pyrolysis, gasification and combustion) with advanced techniques and experimental methods.
Current projects
-
Acoustic forcing to reduce soot formation from biomass gasification
-
Reduced CO2 emission through designed bio-coal in the residue briquette for the blast furnace (MICO)
Coke use (main source of CO2 emissions in blast furnaces) can be reduced by adding a reactive reducing agent, i.e. biochar.
-
eReactor4H2
Induction-heated conversion reactors can dramatically reduce both investment and operating costs for such plants.
-
Trees For Me (Excellenscentrum)
-
Large-scaleproductionofbiocarbonas renewablefeedstock in fossil-freevaluechainswithinthe ironand steel industry
-
BioCarbUpgrade
-
BioKolMet
-
FINAST
-
Sustainable production of metal powder with biocoal
-
Recourse efficient value chains though ash recycling to fast-growing broadleaved tree plantations for increased biomass production
-
Novel energy and resource-efficient value chains through cocombustion of straw fuels and sludge
-
Co-production of high-quality silicon components, heat & power from ash-rich biomass via novel thermochemical conversion processes
-
Developing bed particle layer characteristics for the next generation of fluidized bed biomass thermal conversion processes
-
DFB waste and residue gasification to valuable end products (Waste2Value-level up!)
-
Increasing bio-oil yield and quality in fast pyrolysis of ash-rich forest residues through novel in-situ ash management
-
Bio4Energy –P4 Thermochemicalplatform
Our vision: to develop a complete set of experimentally validated sub-models that can predict all technologically important processes for thermal conversion of biomass, including reactions with containment materials.