Dr. Ingwald ObernbergerStockholm (Sweden), 14th of June 2017

ERA-NET project“Small-scale biomass based CHP”

Joint European Seminar ERA-NET BioenergyBioenergy – from Research to Market Deployment in a European context

Background and intention (I)

■ The electricity generated from renewable energy sources contributedalmost one fifth (19.9%) of the EU-27’s gross electricity consumption. InAustria (61.4%), Sweden (54.5%) and Portugal (50.0%) at least half ofall the electricity consumed was generated from renewable energysources (mainly by hydropower and biomass).

■ Electricity generation from solid biomass is mainly realised incombustion based medium and large-scale CHP plants (> 200 kWel).

■ Especially in large-scale CHP plants the limited heat demand oftenreduces the total plant efficiencies. In order to gain a maximumutilisation of the biomass fuel power, a fully heat controlled operation isdefinitely of advantage.

■ Moreover, biomass is a locally available energy source and shouldtherefore preferably be utilised in decentralised applications due totransport and logistic reasons.

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Background and intention (II)

■ These arguments clearly support the idea of making the large electricityproduction potential from small-scale biomass heating systems in Europeavailable.

■ So far no technologically sound (in terms of efficiency and reliability) andeconomically affordable micro- and small-scale biomass CHP technologiesare available.

■ Therefore, the project aimed at the further development and test of new CHPtechnologies based on small-scale biomass combustion in the electriccapacity range between some W and 100 kW, based on basic R&D alreadyperformed for promising new technologies and aims at the achievement of atechnological level which allows a first commercial demonstration after theend of the project.

■ Due to the high diversity regarding thermal capacities, the fuels used as wellas the combustion technologies applied, the project focused on three CHPconcepts suitable for different types of small-scale biomass combustionsystems and capacity ranges. 3

General data (I)

Project title: Development of innovative small(micro)- scalebiomass-based CHP technologies

Acronym: Small-scale BM based CHP

Duration: 36 Months (May 2014 – April 2017)

Partner countries: Austria, Germany, Poland and Sweden;6 research institutes and 6 company partners

Project costs: 1,900,000 €The project is carried out in the core of the ERA-NETBioenergy programme “7th Joint Call for Research andDevelopment Proposals of the ERA-NET Bioenergy”

The project is funded by the national funding organisations of the partner countriesinvolved:

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Austria Germany Poland Sweden

General data (II)

Partners from Austria:§ BIOS BIOENERGIESYSTEME GmbH

(BIOS), Project coordinator

§ RIKA Innovative Ofentechnik GmbH(RIKA)

Partners from Germany:§ Technologie- und Förderzentrum im Kompetenzzentrum

für nachwachsende Rohstoffe TFZ(TFZ)

§ Orcan Energy AG(Orcan)

Partners from Poland:§ Institute of Power Engineering

(IEn)

§ Wektor Marek Gasiorowski(Wektor) 5

General data (III)

Partners from Sweden:

§ RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB(RISE), Sweden

§ Umeå University, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics(UmU), Sweden

§ Luleå University of Technology, Division of Energy Engineering(LTU), Sweden

§ Chalmers University of Technology, Division of Fluid Dynamics(CTH), Sweden

§ ENERTECH AB / OSBY PARCA(EOP), Sweden

§ Ecergy AB(Ecergy), Sweden

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Project objectives (I)

■ The main result of the project shall be new micro/small-scale biomassbased CHP technologies which are ready for demonstration after the endof the project, in order to

• have 3 different biomass CHP technologies with nominal capacities fromsome W to around 100 kW available

• provide different options in terms of biomass combustion systems andcapacity ranges

• attract a broad range of different users.

■ The TEG technology is suitable for stove owners who want to cover theirneed for auxiliary energy by own electricity production and therebyfacilitate grid independent operation.

■ The micro-ORC technology can be used to cover the base electricityconsumption of residential or public buildings as well as of micro-grids.

■ The HT-HE will be the key unit of EFGT processes (el. capacity ~100 kW)and therefore applicable for small district heating networks and processheat consumers (e.g. wood manufacturing industry). 7

Project objectives (II)

■ An optimal implementation in appropriate combustion technologies and anoptimisation of all interfaces necessary for a complete CHP systemdevelopment are one main aim of the project.

■ Therefore, the following work has been performed:• Definition of constrains and interfaces for the three CHP technologies

investigated.• Development of the three micro CHP technologies as well as of their optimal

integration in suitable CHP systems (e.g. hydronic integration).• Investigation of operation strategies and concepts to solve ash related

problems such as fouling and corrosion of heat exchangers in order toimprove the operation conditions of the CHP technologies.

• Performance of techno-economic analyses for the three technologiesinvestigated as a basis to optimise the technological concepts regardingeconomic competitiveness.

• Dissemination of project results to experts, stakeholders and authorities aswell as the public.

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Work packages - overview

WP1: Definition of constraints and interfaces

WP2: Basic R&D on ash related problems with special respect to hightemperature heat exchangers

WP3: Development and test of the TEG technology

WP4: Development of the micro-scale ORC technology

WP5: Development of a HT-HE for gas turbine applications

WP6: Techno-economic analyses of the new biomass based micro-CHPtechnologies

WP7: Dissemination of results

WP8: Management and Coordination

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TEG technology (I)

■ Pellet stoves with a thermoelectric generator (TEG):

• Fuel: wood pellets

• Thermal capacity: 10 kWth

• Electric capacity: 50 Wel

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TEG with and without ceramic substrate

TEG technology (III)

■ Highlights:• The practical suitability of the new micro CHP technology has been evaluated based on

a load cycle test developed for pellet stoves (to evaluate an close-to-real-lifeoperation).

• At the end of the test run the accumulator is again fully charged.

• In addition a potential of about 50 Wh (represented by the light blue areas) to chargeexternal devices is given during the load cycle test.

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Pow

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[%]

TEG power [W] Total power consumption [W] Operation load [%] Flue gas at stove outlet [°C]

Flue

gas

tem

pera

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[°C

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Load cycle test according to the project bereal (www.bereal-project.eu)

light red areas show the electricity produced foroperating the stove and charging the accumulator

light blue areas show the potential to charge externaldevices during the load cycle test

TEG technology (II)

■ Pellet stoves with a thermoelectric generator (TEG):

• Applicability:– heating of living rooms– covering the electricity demand of the stove– surplus electricity produced can be used to charge small consumers

(e.g. mobile phones)

• Highlights:– grid-independent operation of a pellet stove– noiseless electricity production– wear- and maintenance-free– additional room can be heated

• Development level:– final design and long-term testing of the new components is ongoing– its market introduction is planned within 2018

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Micro ORC technology (I)

■ Small-scale biomass boilers with a micro-ORC process:• Fuel: wood chips, wood pellets

• Thermal capacity: 10 - 30 kWth

• Electric capacity: 0.4 – 1.3 kWel

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Micro ORC technology (III)

■ Highlights:• Based on the data recorded in private households and the measurements performed at

the test stand, transient system simulations (TRNSYS) have been performed toevaluate and optimize the integration of the ORC into the hydronic system of privatehouseholds.

• The simulations pointedout, that about 95% of theelectricity produced canbe directly used by thecostumer. Furthermore,the simulations haveshown, that more than90% of the annualelectricity is producedfrom October to April

à operation of the ORCduring heating periodmeaningful.

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Micro ORC technology (II)

■ Small-scale biomass boilers with a micro-ORC process:

• Applicability:– heating of residential/public buildings or micro-grids– electricity production suitable to cover the base electricity demand of the

customers

• Highlights:– compact design of the ORC– add-on solution with only minor need for adaptation of the biomass boiler

• Development level:– final design and long-term testing of the new components is ongoing– its market introduction is planned within 2018

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Externally fired gas turbine (I)

■ Larger biomass boilers with a high temperature heatexchanger which is suitable for an application in externally firedgas turbine cycles:• Fuel: wood pellets, wood chips, short rotation coppice (SRC)• Thermal capacity: up to 2,500 kWth

• Electric capacity: up to 100 kWel

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Compressor Turbine Generator

Biomass-fired hot

water boilerRecuperator

Air cooler

HT - H E

Water circuit

ElectricityFlue gas

Air

Heatconsumers

Biomass

Externally fired gas turbine (III)

■ Highlights:• The design of the HT-HE was supported by comprehensive CFD and finite element

calculations to optimise the heat transfer and to minimize the pressure drop and thematerial costs.

• The test runs performed with the lab-scale HT-HE confirmed the simulation results andthus, the target values regarding outlet temperature of the hot air, heat transfer from theflue gas to the air as well as the limits regarding pressure drop on flue gas and air sidehave been reached/met for the testing plant.

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CFD simulations: Iso-surfaces temperature [°C] of the flue the gasand the compressed air in a cross section of the lab-scale HT-HE [°C]

[Pa]

Finite element calculations: Front view of the airpipes in the HT-HE – equivalent stress [Pa]

Externally fired gas turbine (II)

■ Larger biomass boilers with a high temperature heatexchanger which is suitable for application in externally fired gasturbine cycles:

• Applicability:– thermal energy production for district heating systems (base load coverage),

or process heat consumers.

• Highlights:– HT-HE has been designed, constructed and successfully tested– appropriate concepts and recommendations have been worked out to

minimize ash related problems regarding ash deposit formation and hightemperature corrosion.

• Development level:– the overall concept has now been defined– a first testing plant shall be installed and evaluated within 2018.

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Inter-work-package-cooperation

■ The development work was supported with information and experiencesregarding alkali release, ash and deposit formation, corrosion as well ascombustion stability of fixed fuel beds (essential for stable CHPoperation) since these are central issues for all 3 technologies.

■ In several fields of activity (e.g. ash related problems, material selectionas well as Computational Fluid Dynamics and TRNSYS simulations) aninter-work-package-cooperation within the project took place.

■ Especially the interdisciplinary cooperation of the industrial and scientificpartners form different sectors made a comprehensive know-howexchange possible.

à By the close national and international cooperation of the project partnersfrom Germany, Austria, Poland and Sweden a clear added value for allpartners has been achieved.

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Conclusions and outlook

■ The ERA-NET project has been finalised in April 2017. The workschedule has been kept and all milestones have been reached in time.

■ The main objective of the project the development and test of threedifferent CHP concepts in different capacity ranges which are suitable fordifferent types of small-scale biomass combustion systems has beenachieved.

■ It is the dedicated aim of the industrial partners to continue after the endof the project with the demonstration and market introduction of therespective CHP technologies.

■ Subsequent to the project, when the technologies have reacheddemonstration stage, first units shall be installed at selected users forfield testing. Within another 2 to 5 years serial production could beinitiated.

■ Consequently, a comprehensive and market oriented exploitation of theproject results should be guaranteed. 20

Thank you for your attentionProject webpage: www.minibiochp.eu

Contact:Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Ingwald Obernberger

Hedwig-Katschinka-Straße 4, A-8020 Graz, AustriaTEL.: +43 (316) 481300; FAX: +43 (316) 4813004

Email: obernberger@bios-bioenergy.atHOMEPAGE: http://www.bios-bioenergy.at