Application a solid fuel mixture based on Bolshesyrsky lignite and birch wood waste in power plants

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the possibility of using a solid fuel mixture based on lignite from the Bolshesyrsky coal mine and birch wood waste in power plants, taking synergistic interactions between the mixture components into account. Simultaneous thermal analysis was used to determine the main combustion characteristics of lignite, biomass and their mixtures. Non-isothermal heating was performed at a rate of 20°C/min across the temperature range of 25–800°C under the air flow of 50 ml/min. The sample weight was about 6 mg. Proximate and elemental analyses of lignite and biomass samples were performed according to conventional methods. The advantages and disadvantages of converting power plants operated on solid fossil fuels to a solid fuel mixture of lignite and biomass are discussed. The main combustion characteristics of lignite, biomass and their mixtures were defined. The ignition temperature of the coke residue and biomass was found to comprise 365 and 299°C, respectively. The temperature of combustion completion for lignite and biomass was 551 and 464°C, respectively. In comparison with lignite, biomass burns at lower temperatures due to the high content of volatile substances. The addition of biomass to lignite was found to reduce both the ignition temperature of the coke residue and that of combustion completion. An analysis of the combustion process of volatile substances and coke residue established the presence of both positive and negative synergistic interactions between lignite and biomass particles, affecting the maximum combustion rate and the mixture reactivity. The results obtained can be applied when designing power plants operated on solid fuel mixtures of lignite and biomass.