Biofuels and bioenergy at

VTT

Overview presentation

Marko Nokkala + entire research area

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

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Contents

Process offering at glance

Combustion CFB

Gasification

(Fast) pyrolysis

CFD modelling

Techno-economical assessments

Examples and references

Process offering at

glance

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Process concepts expertise at VTT

Thermochemical energy conversion

technologies

Combined Heat, Power and Cooling

Carbon capture and storage

Biomass resources and production chain

Energy systems and integration

Energy policy and support schemes

Novel energy concepts, solar hybrid technologies

Bio-economy, micro and macro algae

Waste to energy, Fuel Cells applications

Case specific GHG emission evaluations

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Your comprehensive R&D partner

for 2nd generation biofuels

Pretreatment

and hydrolysis Fermentation Product

recovery

Ethanol and other

alcohols

Lipids Diesel, jet fuel

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Thermal or

catalytic fast

Pyrolysis Product upgrading

Gasoline

Diesel, jet fuel

FAST PYROLYSIS

Gasification Gas cleaning

to syngas

Liquid fuel

synthesis

Methanol Gasoline

Diesel

Gasoline

DME

Hydrogen

SNG Methanation

PSA

GASIFICATION

6

Combustion CFB

7

bench scale pilot scale utility scale

phenomenon sub-models design & simulation

Combustor

Primary gas air, N2, O2, CO2, SO2 etc.

Secondary gas

Grid

Continuous fuel and additive feed

Batch fuel and additive feed

Filter

Cyclone

Flue gas

Primary gas heater

Electric

heaters

Cooling

BENCH SCALE COMBUSTOR BFB/CFB

Fuel and additive feed

Bottom ash

Flue gas recirculation

Riser Solids circulation sample

Gas tanks (air, N2, CO2, O2)

Loop seal material sample

Temperature, pressure and profile sampling along the combustor height

Primary cyclone

Secondary cyclone

Deposit probes

Gas cooler Bag house filter

Flue gas to stack

Secondary and tertiary airs

Primary air and grid

PILOT SCALE CFB COMBUSTOR

ŁAGISZA 460 MWe supercritical OTU CFB

850

870

890

910

930

950

970

990

0 60 120 180 240 300 360

Time [s]

Te

mp

era

ture

[ºC

]

10% O2 in CO2

20% O2 in CO2

30% O2 in CO2

60% O2 in CO2

tH

d

t

dHTTh

t

Tdcc

gcc

pee

ppp

d

d

6d

d

2)(

d

d

6

1D-MODEL

flue gas

1

n n+1

to stack

Primary airSecondary air

2

n-1

3

n-2

Experimental and modeling work combined

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Typical R&D topics in fluidised bed combustion

Understanding in-furnace phenomena under

fully controlled conditions

Combustion profiles

Gas, solids, temperature

Heat transfer inside combustor

Emission formation

Ash behaviour characteristics

Aerosol sampling inside furnace

Formation and analysis of deposition

Combustion control studies

Worlds first successful oxyfuel-CFB test was

carried out in 2006 at 0.1 MW unit

For more detailed information on our

experimental capabilities click the following link

and select “Test Facilities”

Fuel and additive feed

Bottom ash

Flue gas recirculation

Riser Solids circulation sample

Gas tanks (air, N2, CO2, O2)

Loop seal material sample

Temperature, pressure and profile sampling along the combustor height

Primary cyclone

Secondary cyclone

Deposit probes

Gas cooler Bag house filter

Flue gas to stack

Secondary and tertiary airs

Primary air and grid

http://www.vtt.fi/img/research/ene/combustion/VTT.html

Piloting facilities

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http://www.vtt.fi/img/research/ene/combustion/VTT.html

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Fuel characterization tests in pilot scale

Combustion

Combustion profile (heat release), fuel

reactivity

Unburned carbon (UBC)

Emissions

Main components such as CO2, O2,

CO, H2O, SOx and NOx

Trace elements e.g. HCl, HF, N2O,

NH3, CxHy, Hg

Ash

Ash composition and split: bottom ash vs. fly ash

Agglomeration, fouling and

corrosion tendency

Limestone

Reactivity compared to

reference one

Estimate limestone dosage to reach

the emission limits

• optimal combustion conditions (temperature, air staging)

• furnace dimensioning

• type and location of heat transfer surfaces

• material selections

• emission control system

• ash removal systems and utilization

Data to design and optimize high

performance boiler with low emissions and high availability

in terms of

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Power plants are facing growing demands to reduce emissions and to fire fuels of lower quality. In process design, detailed modelling using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be utilized to meet these demands

VTT offers a wide range of expertise in modelling and numerical simulation of combustion and its emissions of fluidized beds and pulverized fuel furnaces including innovative combination of different modelling approaches with CFD

NOx, SO2, CO and UBC abatement analyses

Influence of new fuels and co-firing on combustion, heat fluxes and emissions

Prediction of fouling and conditions favoring corrosion and erosion

Numerical simulation tools for combustion

analysis

12 Anthracite Bituminous coal Brown coal/lignite Pet coke/Coal waste Peat Oil shale Biomass

(wood, bark etc) Agro biomass

(straw, rapeseed etc) Waste

(SRF etc) Limestone

Worldwide references of the fuels tested at VTT

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Gasification

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Lahti Energia KYVO2

gasification based WtE plant (160 MWfuel)

(commissioning 2012)

Gasification based Waste-to-Energy

– another example of VTT R&D-technology

Lahti Energia KYVO2

gasification based WtE plant (160 MWfuel)

(commissioning 2012)

Laboratory characterisation

& preliminary development

in bench scale

Further development

and optimisation in

pilot scale

Corenso, plastic reject

gasifier (50 MWfuel)

(commissioning 2001)

Lahti Energia KYVO2

gasification based WtE

plant (160 MWfuel)

(commissioning 2012)

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R & D on Hot Gas

Filtration and

Catalytic Gas

Cleaning

IGCC development

SYNGAS R&D AT VTT • Concept development for biofuels

• Gasification process development

• Support to industrial demonstrations

• Improved process concepts

in 2G Biofuels project 2012->

INDUSTRIAL

PILOT • VARKAUS

• CHICAGO

NEW APPLICATIONS

• Fuel cells, 2nd gen. IGCC

• Hydrogen, synthetic methane,

Chemicals

• Hybrid Renewable Systems

• Material Recovery from Waste

BIOMASS/WASTE

GASIFICATION FOR POWER PIONONEERING DEMO’S: LAHTI,

CORENSO,VÄRNAMO

Gasification tests

In USA and Germany +

Supporting R&D

at VTT for Oulu

1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 1985 2025 2030

BIOREFINERIES AT PULP AND PAPER

MILLS AND AT LARGE CHP PLANTS • Bio-Diesel production100-200 ktons/plant

• NER300 financial support to first plants?

• Gasoline, SNG, H2 in next phase

BIOMASS AND WASTE GASIFICATION FROM R&D TO INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS

PEAT

AMMONIA

PLANT OULU/FINLAND

1980 5 p-years

1990 15 p-years

2000 20 p-years

2010 25 p-years

WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANTS AND

CO-FIRING IN COAL BOILERS • Corenso 2001, Lahti II 2012, Vaasa 2013

• High electric efficiency, material recovery

• Replacement of coal by biomass-derived gas

as part of fuel conversion

activities of 60 p-years

(gasification, synthesis, pyrolysis, fuel cells)

BIOMASS-TO-POWER PLANTS • Small-scale CHP by gas engines 0.1-5 MW

• IGCC plants 30-150 MW

Bioneer Gasifier

for Small-scale

VTT

resources

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High-Efficiency Power from Biomass

• IGCC based on pressurised fluidised-bed gasification and hot filtration

•new interests due to increasing need for green power

• Gasification coupled to engines for small-scale plants 0.1-5 MWe

•Support to SME companies in “farm-scale” power

•New gasification reactor invention for small scale biomass CHP

•Patenting on-going

•TUTLI funding applied from Tekes

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New gasification and pyrolysis bench- and pilot-scale

test hall VTT will move it’s Gasification and Pyrolysis test equipment

from Otaniemi to an industrial area in Kivenlahti, Espoo

New pilot facilities will also be constructed

Start-up at new site in January 2015, testing is continued in

Otaniemi using present facilities until summer 2014

2G Biofuels R&D&Piloting poject 7.2 M€: 2012-14, 2nd phase planned for 2015-16

VTT RES-Infra

Investment

Funding for

equipment

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VTT Gasification - Summary

Leading global technology suppliers of biomass gasification systems are

located in Finland – synergy with fluidised-bed boiler technologies

VTT is supporting industrial development by Carrying out innovative R&D for new applications and solutions

Licensing it’s gasification and reforming IPR

Creating new fundamental know-how together with universities

Supporting industrial plants with special analytics and monitoring services

VTT gasification in brief 20 person years annually – ca. 4 M€/a

3 principal scientist + 4 PhD students and 6 researchers with good industrial

capabilities (total of 10 researchers)

Experienced technical and laboratory personnel (10 engineers & technicians)

Patents on fluidised-bed gasification and catalytic reforming (ca. 10 key patents)

Scientific publications especially on fuel reactivity and catalytic reforming

Excellent test facilities from laboratory to pilot scale:

(5 lab scale, 6 bench-scale and 2 pilot scale test facilities)

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Fast pyrolysis

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VTT thermochemical platform for biofuels

and chemicals – fast pyrolysis

Feedstock suitability evaluation

Techno-

economic

evaluations

Bench-scale research and process modeling

Fast pyrolysis process

• Thermal or catalytic fast pyrolysis

process development

• Bio-oil chemical analytics

• Final upgrading to higher value

products

Bio-oil, transportation fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass

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Approach

At VTT we have

• Unique 20 kg/h Process Development Unit suitable

both for thermal and catalytic fast pyrolysis process

development

• World class bio-oil chemistry know-how

• Cutting-edge tools for techno-economic

evaluations and process modeling (CFD,

ASPEN)

• Track record on industrial development and

demonstrations

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CFD modelling

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CFD Modelling team activities

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and molecular modelling

A team of 15 competent researchers

Applied research

Investigation of practical application cases

Utilize simulation to understand process behaviour and as a design tool

Cooperation with companies and universities and with other teams of VTT

Model development and testing

Model physical and chemical subprocesses

Combine CFD and other computational methods:

Multiblock modelling, Cellular automata, Chemistry solver,…

Strong competence especially in

Combustion and emissions

Various multi phase flow processes

Molecular modelling of surface phenomena

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RESEARCH AND APPLICATION TOPICS Combustion and thermal conversion

CFD applied to combustion at VTT

since 1984

Combustion and reduction of

emissions:

Pulverised fuel combustion

(boilers and burners)

Grate fired combustion

BFB Bubbling fluidised beds

CFB Circulating fluidised beds

Recovery boilers and lime kilns

Gas flames

Gasification

Fast pyrolysis to produce bio oils

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RESEARCH AND APPLICATION TOPICS Industrial multi phase flow processes

Multiphase flows Fluidised beds

Trickle bed reactors

Flotation (mineral separation)

Rotating machinery Mixers, stirred reactors

Pumps

Molecular modelling Fouling on heat transfer surfaces

Multiscale CFD + Molecular modelling

Techno-economical

assessments

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Techno-economical assessments

Example: ForPower concept

ForPower is an expert driven research scheme that covers:

• Biomass availability estimation

• Optimization of fuel procurement technology

• Economical plant feasibility analysis.

The aim is to enhance the business possibilities of renewable energy

production with biomass ranging from small to large scale heat and

power production.

• This is achieved by carefully studying the economic foundations of

biomass procurement and wood heat and power generation

ForPower feasibility study type projects have been successfully

executed e.g. in Poland, Czech Republic, France, Uruguay, Namibia,

Vietnam and Ukraine.

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Result examples of VTT’s research

Bialystok power plant, Bialystok, Poland

Research activities, conducted in 2005

The study evaluated:

Spatial availability of forest fuel

The potential and economy of modern

forest fuel harvesting in polish conditions

Economy of heat and power production

with forest fuels

Site location

Forest fuel transport distances

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Result examples of VTT’s research

ForPower concept in use

Bialystok power plant, Bialystok,

Poland

Sufficient forest fuel availability

Total accumulation 631 000 m3 of forest

fuels/year, demand 320 000m3/a, agrobiomass

also available

Roadside chipping method most economic supply chain for forest fuels

Forest fuels can be utilized in heat and power

production within reasonable cost levels: Bio 16,8

€/MWh, Coal 10,8€/MWh (2005 cost levels)

Average transport distance for plant’s fuel supply

is 127 km and mean production cost 11,2 €/MWh

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350

Transporting distance to Bialystok, km

Accu

mu

lati

on

of

fore

st

ch

ips,

m³

per

year

Forest

fuels total

Thinning

wood

Logging

residues

Stumps

0,00

2,00

4,00

6,00

8,00

10,00

12,00

14,00

16,00

18,00

Biomass Coal

En

erg

y p

rod

ucti

on

co

sts

, €/M

Wh

Investment Labour Maintenance Fuel Electricity Other

Breakdown of energy production costs with biomass and with coal

Transport distance to Bialystok, km

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5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225

Existing BNRs NR3, New OFA NR3-B, New OFA

NOx [ppm] (dry, 6 % O2)

h [m]

EXISTING BNRs

(old OFA)

• SRtot = 1.23

NOx emission:

• CFD 131 mg/MJ

• Meas. 125 mg/MJ

Coal: Polish, N (ds): 1.22 w-%

BURNER - A

(new OFA)

• SRtot = 1.23

NOx emission:

• CFD 102 mg/MJ

BURNER - B

(new OFA)

• SRtot = 1.23

NOx emission:

• CFD 106 mg/MJ

NO [ppm] (dry)

A

A STUDY OF A TANGENTIALLY FIRED PC

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