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Effect of Additives and Fuel Blending on Emissions and Ash-Related Problems from Small-Scale Combustion of Reed Canary Grass

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  • Sébastien Fournel

    (Department of Chemical and Biotechnological Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Université Boulevard, Sherbrooke QC J1K 2R1, Canada
    Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 Einstein Street, Quebec City QC G1P 3W8, Canada)

  • Joahnn H. Palacios

    (Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 Einstein Street, Quebec City QC G1P 3W8, Canada)

  • Stéphane Godbout

    (Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 Einstein Street, Quebec City QC G1P 3W8, Canada)

  • Michèle Heitz

    (Department of Chemical and Biotechnological Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Université Boulevard, Sherbrooke QC J1K 2R1, Canada)

Abstract

Agricultural producers are interested in using biomass available on farms to substitute fossil fuels for heat production. However, energy crops like reed canary grass contain high nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), potassium (K) and other ash-forming elements which lead to increased emissions of gases and particulate matter (PM) and ash-related operational problems (e.g., melting) during combustion. To address these problematic behaviors, reed canary grass was blended with wood (50 wt%) and fuel additives (3 wt%) such as aluminum silicates (sewage sludge), calcium (limestone) and sulfur (lignosulfonate) based additives. When burned in a top-feed pellet boiler (29 kW), the four blends resulted in a 17%–29% decrease of PM concentrations compared to pure reed canary grass probably because of a reduction of K release to flue gas. Nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) emissions varied according to fuel N and S contents. This explains the lower NO x and SO 2 levels obtained with wood based products and the higher SO 2 generation with the grass/lignosulfonate blend. The proportion of clinkers found in combustion ash was greatly lessened (27%–98%) with the use of additives, except for lignosulfonate. The positive effects of some additives may allow agricultural fuels to become viable alternatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Sébastien Fournel & Joahnn H. Palacios & Stéphane Godbout & Michèle Heitz, 2015. "Effect of Additives and Fuel Blending on Emissions and Ash-Related Problems from Small-Scale Combustion of Reed Canary Grass," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:5:y:2015:i:3:p:561-576:d:53195
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fournel, S. & Palacios, J.H. & Morissette, R. & Villeneuve, J. & Godbout, S. & Heitz, M. & Savoie, P., 2015. "Influence of biomass properties on technical and environmental performance of a multi-fuel boiler during on-farm combustion of energy crops," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 247-259.
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