Emissions Performance of a Novel Combustor Burning Shredded Wood (Briefing Slides)

Abstract : This is a presentation-format of report AFRL-RX-TY-TP-2009-4508 by the same name. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Airbase Technologies Division (AFRL/RXQ) is engineering and evaluating a Transportable Waste to Energy System (TWES). This trailer-mounted system will convert military base waste and biomass waste streams to useful heat and power. The Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is a TWES funding partner. The first stage of the project is a suspension-type combustor (furnace). The furnace has been built and tested. A key feature of the furnace system is its unique patented combustion coil design. The design is intended to maximize ablative heat transfer as well as provide increased particle residence time. The innovative features of the design are targeted at ensuring that the system can be highly fuel-flexible to convert a variety of organic and non-organic waste streams to energy while demonstrating very low emissions. In AD 2008, the unit underwent two days of emissions stack testing using established EPA testing protocols. During the testing extensive real-time data was also collected. This briefing and technical paper will present data and corresponding analysis of recently performed emission testing for the unit while utilizing dry wood chips as a control fuel. The data will be compared to publicly available information for similarly sized units. Key combustion efficiency factors, such as Loss on Ignition (LOI), carbon monoxide emissions and nitrogen oxide emissions are presented. Detailed emission comparisons with commercial and other experimental systems for small biomass combustion units are also presented. The in-progress construction of the TWES is discussed.