Theoretical Study on the Effect of Glycerol Fraction in Slurries with Biomass Consumed by a Power-Generation Process

Souza-Santos, Marcio L. de; Camara, Michael A.

Theoretical Study on the Effect of Glycerol Fraction in Slurries with Biomass Consumed by a Power-Generation Process

2018

Souza-Santos, Marcio L. de | Camara, Michael A.

Previous works have shown that glycerol, which is a residue from biodiesel production, can be applied to greatly increase the efficiency of power generation processes consuming biomass, such as sugar cane bagasse (SCB). The proposed process departs from a biomass and glycerol slurry, which is pumped into a pressurized gasifier. The produced gas is cleaned to reach particle content and sizes as well alkaline concentration allowed to be injected into commercially available axial gas turbines. The removal of alkaline is achieved through cooling the gas to temperatures below the dew-point of those chemical species. Energy recovered from that cooling and from the gas turbine exit drives two steam cycles. The present theoretical investigation assesses the effects of glycerol concentration in the slurry with wet biomass fed to the process on its overall efficiency. In addition, the gasifier operational pressure is increased to the limit allowed for air compression by axial compressors without intercooling. This work shows that efficiencies can reach levels nearing 46% and discusses the effect of glycerol fraction in the biomass slurry on the overall power-generation process. The present work is a technical feasibility study. Economic analysis or considerations are beyond its scope and have been left for future investigations.

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