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Emission characterizations from the torrefaction and cofiring of agricultural by-products on a pilot-scale combustor
Citation:
Yelverton, T., A. Brashear, A. Holder, David Nash, James Brown, C. Singer, P. Burnette, P. Kariher, AND J. Ryan. Emission characterizations from the torrefaction and cofiring of agricultural by-products on a pilot-scale combustor. International Biomass Conference and Expo, Nashville, Tennessee, February 03 - 05, 2020.
Impact/Purpose:
Gaseous and particulate emissions generated from the combustion of coal have been associated with adverse effects on human health and the environment, and as such have been the subject of regulation by federal and state government agencies. Further, as use of alternative and biomass fuels to replace coal becomes a more prevalent practice – for industry to meet increasingly stringent regulations and to fulfill renewable energy portfolios – there is a need to better understand the emissions generated by cofiring of these fuels with coal. Emission characterizations from the processing of agricultural by-product (e.g. torrefaction) as a waste-to-energy solution is also needed, as they are not fully understood.
Description:
The current study not only characterizes emissions from the cofiring of bituminous coal and corn stover, but also those emissions generated through the torrefaction processing of the agricultural by-product. This allows for updated emissions data from new and emerging renewable fuel options, as well as expands on the understanding and feasibility of the use of these renewable fuels as drop-in replacements for coal. Testing was completed using the U.S. EPA’s Multi-Pollutant Control Research Facility, a pilot-scale coal-fired combustor using industry standard emission control technologies, in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. This investigation characterizes emissions of bituminous coal cofired individually with both raw and torrefied corn stover up to 80% by mass, including (but not limited to): NOX, SO2, O2, CO, CO2, HAPs, and PM (size, mass, EC, OC, BC). Comparisons of the cofired emissions to those of 100% bituminous coal, qualitative observations on facility operations at high biomass content, as well as torrefaction process emissions are reported.