Ash-Related Operational Challenges in Energy Utilization of Sustainable Fuels

Next natural step in the chain of events leading to troublesome deposit formation is the transport and adhesion of ash species (gases, aerosols and particles), which is the subject of Module 5 (Transport and Adhesion of Ash Particles), thoroughly addressing both important transport mechanisms like diffusion, thermophoresis and inertial impaction, as well as mechanisms of adhesion and different criteria for sticking of ash species.

As soon as the ash species stick to the surface of the deposit, a build-up, consolidation and shedding of deposit begins. These are extremely complex, interaction phenomena, involving both physical and chemical aspects. This is the subject of Module 6 (Deposit Build-Up, Consolidation and Shedding), which also covers practical experiences in performing deposit measurements in full-scale.

One of the consequences of deposit formation is the possible chemical interaction between the deposit and the heat transfer tube, better known as corrosion, which is outlined in Module 7 (High-Temperature Cl-Corrosion), based on several years of research in this field at our Department at DTU. Aspects of corrosion underneath deposits formed in biomass- as well as waste-fired units are covered in details.

There are a number of ways to minimize corrosion, aerosol and ash deposit formation in boilers, one of them being the use of additives to affect the chemistry in the freeboard of the boiler, thereby minimizing e.g. the concentration of Cl in the inner layers of the deposit, or, minimizing the mass loading of aerosols and thereby the environmental impact of these. This has for years been a major research activity at DTU and Module 8 (Use of additives to Minimize Deposit Formation and High-Temperature Corrosion) therefore deals with the application of additives, both the classical Al-Si- and the more sophisticated S-based additives.

Finally, Module 9 (Danish Case-Studies on Ash and Deposit Formation) in this MOOC deals with Danish case studies of ash and deposit formation in utility boilers. The module covers three classical cases from dedicated straw-fired grate units: the Haslev/Slagelse, Rudkøbing and Masnedø CHPs. After this, an introduction to the MKS1 demoprogramme on co-firing of coal and straw in pc-fired units follow, this campaign marked a progressive step toward the ultimative shift from pure biomass-firing in grate units, to biodust-firing in pf-units. The last two lessons in this module covers biodust-firing at the Avedøre Power Station, with special focus on aerosol and deposit formation and chemistry, with and without the use of coal fly ash as an additive.