ERDF Project ID No.1.1.1.1/19/A/010 finished!

ERDF Project "Microwave pre-treatment of pelletized biofuels and development of new technologies for improved combustion of selectively activated fuel mixtures with efficient control of energy production and composition of emissions" finished!

From beginning to end of the project (30 months (01.04.2020 – 30.09.2022.)) all remaining main results have been achieved. The following main results have been achieved by end of the project:

(i)           13 original scientific articles (planed value- 9 pcs.).

(ii)          5 product descriptions and samples.

(iii)         1 Latvian design patent (20.08.2022. Certificate No. D15914 of registration of the design).

(iv)         16 other project result, including reports, posters, book abstract/ proceeding, presentation.

(v)          1 new technology prototype (TRL-5);

(vi)         1 experimental set-up “Microwave torrefactor with full metal rotating heating chamber-resonator”

(vii)        1 ‘know how’ documentation.

 

The attainment of aim and results of the project

The aim of the project is: to promote the wider use of the regional energy resources for the environmentally friendly combustion and efficient energy production using microwave (MW) pre-treatment of pelletized fuels and producing the selectively activated mixtures of pelletized fuels and smart technology for energy production with improved combustion characteristics, enhanced energy efficiency and reduced GHG emissions.

The aim of the project is achieved through implementation of two general tasks:

The project envisages industrial research, which aims to develop new intelligent products - selectively activated biomass blends, providing selective microwave (mw) pre-treatment (2.45 GHz) of the mixture components, and mixing of pre-treated pellets of renewable fuels (straw*, wood*) with the improved and well-defined characteristics (elemental and chemical composition, calorific value, energy density. etc.) in different proportions with pellets of raw fuels (straw, wood, peat), energy density, etc.) thus improving thermochemical conversion of activated blends.
In cooperation with EKOKOMPOZIT Ltd., work will be carried out on experimental development of smart technology for the mw-pre-treatment of pelletized renewable fuels (wood, straw) in the microwave reactor with the enhanced operational capacity of the reactor. A new intelligent technology (TRL-5 level) will be developed on combining the production of selectively activated blends of pelletized solid fuels of different origin biomass and on setting up an experimental device with a heat power up to 25 kW for the efficient and environmentally friendly combustion and energy production at thermochemical conversion of these blends.
 

Final report on implementation of the project scientific quality is related to industrial research and experimental development providing work on the implementation activities:

Activity N1 aimed at assessing the effect of mw pre -treatment on the main characteristics of different pelletized fuels (wood, straw, peat) involving following research sub activities: 

- 1.1.Industrial research of the main characteristics of different pelletized fuels (straw, wood, peat, etc.) by evaluating and optimizing the effect of mw pre-treatment on these characteristics.

- 1.2. Activation of thermal decomposition of different pelletized fuels (wood, straw, peat) at mw pre-treatment. 

- 1.3. Assessing the effect of mw pre-treatment on the formation and composition of pyrolysis by-products. 

Activity N2. Industrial research of the effects of mw pre-treatment of different biomass pellets (wood, wheat straw, peat) on gasification, combustion, heat generation processes and on emission composition with sub-activities: 

- 2.1. Activation of gasification and combustion processes of different origin fuel pellets and possibilities of the control of these processes using mw pre-treatment of fuel pellets. 

- 2.2. Activation of heat production processes and possibilities of emission control by mw pre-treatment of fuel pellets. 

Activity N3. Development of selectively activated blends of different origin biomass pellets with evaluation of the possibility to control the main characteristics and the thermal decomposition of the blends using selective mw pre-treatment of the mixture components with sub-activities:

- 3.1. Production of selectively activated blends of different origin biomass pellets and study of their main characteristics (elemental and chemical composition) by evaluating and optimizing the effect of selective mw pre-treatment of components and the mixture composition on the main characteristics of activated blends.

- 3.2. Effect of variations in mixture composition and of selective mw pre-treatment of fuel pellets on the mixture thermal decomposition.

Activity N4. Industrial research of the development of gasification, combustion, heat production processes and of the formation of products composition at the thermochemical conversion of selectively activated mixtures of different fuel pellets with sub-activities.

- 4.1. Industrial studies of the gasification and combustion of selectively activated mixtures of different origin biomass pellets and the evaluation of the control options of these processes.

- 4.2. Activation and control of the processes of heat production and formation of emissions at thermo-chemical conversion of different origin selectively activated biomass blends.

Activity N5. Development of knowledge-based new products of mw pre-treated selectively activated fuel mixtures (straw* + straw, straw* + wood, straw + wood*, straw* + peat, wood* + peat) with an optimized composition.

Activity N6. Experimental development of the prototype of a new knowledge-based smart technology for environmentally friendly energy production (TRL-5 level) using selectively activated blends of different origin biomass pellets and development of the new MW reactor prototype to provide MW pre-treatment of biomass pellets in a range of temperatures 250-350 0C preparing a patent application for a

Activity N7. Development of know-how for eco-friendly combustion and heat production processes and their control using selectively activated mixtures of different fuel pellets with the optimized composition and main characteristics.

 

Scientific staff

The scientific team is an interdisciplinary research group of experienced specialists in the fields of wood chemistry, biorefinery, materials and technology, physics, chemistry and engineering microwave engineering and programming, as well as includes young doctors and students. The workload of the research staff involved in the project in full-time equivalents (FTE) during the project implementation period was 5,632 FTE, of new researchers (in FTE): 2,30 (40,84 % of the total workload of the project team), students and candidate of scientific degree (in FTE): 1,62 (28,76 % of the total workload of the project team) and young scientists (in FTE): 1,41 (25,04 % of the total workload of the project team).

 

Indicators achieved by the project at the end of the project:

1.      new researcher with a total load of 2,30 FTE (Achieved- 40,84 % of the total project group, planned at least 25% of the total project group);

2.      young scientists with a total load of 1,41 FTE (Achieved- 25,04 % of the total project group, planned at least 25% of the total project group);

3.      students and candidate of scientific degree with a total load of 1,62 FTE (Achieved- 28,76 % of the total project group, planned at least 25% of the total project group) ;

4.      new jobs during project implementation- four jobs planned, 6 (six) jobs achieved.

 

Project ID No.1.1.1.1/19/A/010.