|
The quest for alternative energy,
particularly in the form of alternative fuel for Distributed Power
Generation Systems has biofuels as a candidate-set. An effective
integration of biofuel technology into power generation process,
however, is readily accomplished with the adoption of the
Bioenergy Steam generator
which provides a most efficacious utilization of biofuels for
thermal energy extraction for use in the power generation systems.
However, the adoption of the steam generator is not without further
consideration depending on the biofuel that gets specified as the
preferred energy source.
The development of a bioenergy
distributed power generation system from a bioenergy steam generator
involves addressing two primary issues: The first
consideration that comes up is the deployment of the steam
generator as to result in a well-integrated energy system; The second
consideration is the selection of a particular
biofuel:
alcohols,
biodiesel,
vegetable oils, and even
town-gas; combustion technology to integrate into the steam
generator.
The first consideration which
addresses the actual engineering though very involved can still be
synopsized for the purposes of addressing of the second
consideration. So, in synopsis, the integration of the bioenergy
steam generation into a distribute power generation system begins
with the deployment of the steam generation. The steam outlet of the
steam-generator is then interfaced with a steam-turbine power
generator, which generates the electricity that is transmitted
through the power distribution network. The engineering, of course,
is complex.
Although the design here has provide a consistent and
well-integrated technology components, in the most restricted cases however, were the
utility corporation preferring to keep existing steam generator -
contextually, water boilers - may only
need to replace or modify the fossil fuel combustion burner that is
currently deployed, in order to implement a bioenergy distributed
power generation system.
Evidently, irrespective of the
scope of tasks involved in the deployment of a Bioenergy Steam
Generator in distributed power generation system, the form of
the steam generator, particularly with respect to the
biofuel combustor technology is mission-critical. The set of
applicable specifications for making such choices are many but
include the salient ones such as Heat Loading, Biofuel-type
Available, Biofuel -make or purchase decisions.
|
The simplest of the
consideration is the heat loading and the impact on the selection of
the steam generator; from a design perspective, the heat load is
related to the power demand. Once determined then the choice of low
thrust versus high thrust combustor becomes the consideration. In
general, because Utility Power Generation Systems are high power
demand systems, the biofuel combustor has to be of the
high thrust biofuel combustor category. Being almost a default
choice, then next consideration becomes the biofuel to burn.
Clearly the biofuel type that
is abundantly available to the power generation operation to a major
extent determines the bioenergy source to be utilized. However,
certain factors also come into play in making the selection of
biofuel, because although the combustion technologies are all
related - being derivative from the near template base technology -
they are also nonetheless different from each other as a result of
the differences in thermodynamic properties of each fuel from the
others. In this regard, the main factor is the biofuel that provides
the most stability of operation and causes the least wear of the
steam generator; and in that sense, just about every biofuel is
suitable except for ethanol which presents additional consideration
- the often presence of water in the fuel. The impact of this
characteristic is thoroughly engineered to a minimum in the steam
generator design, the impact on system wear is still evident.
In general, the hot gases of
the biofuel combustor are fed into a water boiler by which the steam
is generated; obviously, the
presence of water in the fuel may affect the wear of the boiler-tubes
within which the steam generation process takes place. Two forms of
impact can be realized from the presence of the water in the fuel:
One form of the impact has that the water carrying tubes of the
steam generators may corrode, although possibly at different rates
depending on whether the steam generator is designed as a
Super-heated Water Flash Steam Generator or simply Thermosyphon
Reboiler Steam Generator; The other form of impact is that, depending on the
maximum tolerable temperature of the tubes, the water content of the
ethanol will lower the possible highest temperature of the
combustion effluents, as the water absorbs some of the exothermic energy
of the combustion reaction.
In any event, upon careful
addressing of these choices and specifications inherent in the
underlying sciences, followed by the implementation of the choices
made, the resulting distributed power generation system is
effectively a BioEnergy Distributed Power Generation System.
|
|
