Development of wood as an alternative fuel for large power-generating systems. Part I. Research on wood-burning gas turbines. Final report

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5617852· OSTI ID:5617852

Hamrick, J. T.; Hamrick, T. M.

Research is reported on the burning of pulverized green wood in suspension as a power plant fuel. Burner systems suitable for research into retrofitting of central station boilers as well as gas turbines were designed, built, and tested. It was determined that with combustion air preheated to 1000/sup 0/F, green wood chips pulverized to pass a 1/2 in. screen could be burned completely in suspension in a distance of 20 ft. For gas turbines where the combustion products must be mixed with air for cooling to 1500 to 1800/sup 0/F before passing through the turbine, it was necessary to use smaller and partially dried wood particles to achieve complete combustion in the 20 ft distance. A gas cleaning method recently developed for effluent from coal-fired pressurized fluidized beds was adapted for use with the wood suspension burner and applied to a 500 hp gas turbine. The theoretical analyses, and results of computations made in the design of th gas turbine combustion system are provided together with preliminary experimental results. Conclusions from the program are that retrofitting of large boiler systems is less practical from an economic and wood supply standpoint than installation of 15 to 20 MW combined cycle gas turbine systems at 10 to 20 mile intervals in the forested areas of the country. The financial mechanism for spawning such a dispersed power generation program was provided by the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978. Power in 15 to 20 MW amounts can be fed into most distribution lines in the US. Wheeling power in this manner from small, efficient power producing systems can save on fuel transportation and power distribution costs while providing local jobs. A 18 MW system with commercially available modular components was designed. The projected capital cost is less than $600 per installed KW (1981) and the estimated operating efficiency is 32 to 33%.

• Research Organization: Aerospace Research Corp., Roanoke, VA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-78ET20058
• OSTI ID: 5617852
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/20058-T2-Pt.1; ON: DE82002034
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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