Novel monitoring system to improve combustion efficiency in biomass-fired heat and power plants

This project aims to develop a camera-based monitoring system that can be used to improve the combustion efficiency in Grate-fired boilers. Experiments will be conducted in two grate-fired units, 3 and 42 MW. We will use high-resolution infrared cameras that can measure the temperature distribution of the fuel bed on the grate. Radiation intensity measurements and modeling of the radiative transfer equation will be used to cross-validate the temperature conditions in selected areas of the bed. An additional IR-camera system will be used to measure the gaseous radiation from selected species. High-speed cameras will be used to capture the bed movement and bed topology. In all, this combination of data combined with image analysis will give detailed information on how the fuel is converted on the grate and how the initial part of the freeboard, just above the bed, is impacted by the combustion process. Plant process data will be used for validation, including ash composition data.

Photo: Guido Jansen, Unsplash