Experimental and numerical investigation of biomass combustion Decarbonisation of energy.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Glasgow
Department Name: School of Engineering
Abstract
Experimental and numerical investigation of biomass combustion Decarbonisation of energy is, currently, a massive task before engineers and scientists. A large number of low carbon and zero carbon energy production methods are being investigated worldwide. Amongst these, bio-energy is one of the most promising ones. Living marine and land plants absorb solar energy and CO2 from the atmosphere/hydrosphere and turn them into energy containing materials, such as wood or agricultural waste, which are collectively called biomass. Unlike combustion of fossil fuels, burning of biomass does not result in increasing the carbon content of the atmosphere. Further, if combined with carbon capture technologies, it can lead to negative carbon emission. This aspect of combustion of biomass along with its widespread availability has made it an attractive energy resource for future. However, there exist significant technical difficulties in the deployment of biomass combustion at an industrial scale. Biomass has a complex and varying composition and the fundamentals of biomass combustion, compared to those of fossil fuels, are not well understood. This lack of understanding, currently, poses significant challenges to the design and operation of biomass burners. This doctoral research aims to obtain further understating of the fundamental physical and chemical processes involved in the combustion of biomass. These include heat and mass transfer, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and chemical kinetics. The research will involve extensive numerical and theoretical studies as well as laboratory tests for validation purposes.
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509668/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/09/2021 | |||
| 1651496 | Studentship | EP/N509668/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2019 | Graeme Hunt |
| Description | Have developed both 1-dimensional analytic equations of heat and mass transfer for simple systems in which heat varies in only one principle direction. This was built upon to derive 2-dimensional analytic equations to predict temperature and concentration of species within a microchannel. Novel interface condition developed to determine heat flux share from a planar boundary to a wall and porous medium. Computation fluid dynamics study of microchannels with wavey surface conditions observed to enhance outlet production in ultra-lean CH4 combustion on platinum catalyst. |
| Exploitation Route | This allows people working with such channels in, for example, microreactors, to improve design. Also it permits the verification of numerically generated results (in for example modelling of such systems) to verify the validity of their results and further refine their model. |
| Sectors | Chemicals,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | Georgia Tech |
| Organisation | Georgia Institute of Technology |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Calculations and work upon the heat and mass transfer and solving of the governing equations associated with these. Production of results and co-writing of journal papers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Input and work on the associated Entropy equations relating to the heat and mass transfer calculations mentioned above. Production and co-writing of journal papers. |
| Impact | Papers: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2017.11.118, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.03.057 and "Non-equilibrium thermodynamic analysis of double diffusive, nanofluid forced convection in microreactors with radiation effects." (published in Entropy, 19(12), 690.) |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Pint of Science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 60 people attended the meeting run by the group "Pint of Science" in Glasgow. A short presentation on the work was given at a level for public understanding. This generated questions and discussion on the topic. No known impact, other than peoples enjoyment and interest in scientific topics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk |