Descripción del proyecto
Pirólisis de biomasa totalmente renovable, impulsada por energía solar, para fabricar productos energéticos ricos en carbono
La biomasa es rica en carbono, por lo que constituye una alternativa ecológica y sostenible a los hidrocarburos convencionales. El calentamiento de la biomasa en ausencia de oxigeno o con un suministro limitado de oxígeno (pirólisis) da lugar a productos energéticos valiosos como, por ejemplo, bioaceite líquido, biocarbón sólido y pirogás. El proyecto PYSOLO, financiado con fondos europeos, tiene por objeto hacer que este proceso sea totalmente renovable, suministrando el calor de proceso de alta temperatura necesario a partir de energía solar de concentración (ESC); cuando la energía solar no sea suficiente para llevar a cabo el proceso, se empleará un sistema de almacenamiento de energía térmica (AET) de respaldo. Dos vías adicionales proporcionarán el calor cuando la ESC y la AET no puedan, a saber: la conversión de una fracción del producto de pirólisis disponible, y la conversión del exceso de electricidad de bajo coste procedente de fuentes de energía renovables, incluidas la fotovoltaica y la eólica, a través de un sistema de calefacción eléctrica (por inducción).
Objetivo
PYSOLO (PYrolysis of biomass by concentrated SOLar pOwer) project aims at preparing the ground for a novel groundbreaking and fully renewable process combining concentrated solar power and biomass pyrolysis. Thanks to the use of solar heat in the pyrolysis process, the production of valuable products bio-oil, biochar and pyrogas can be maximized and the associated CO2 emission minimized, with economic and environmental benefits compared to conventional pyrolysis. The proposed system uses particles heat carrier, ensuring operational flexibility and avoiding the need of heat transfer surface in the pyrolysis reactor that facilitates the system scale-up.
Specifically, PYSOLO process aims at developing at TRL4 the two key unit operations of this novel solar pyrolysis system, namely: (i) the solar particle receiver and (ii) the pyrolysis reactor with the associated particle-char separator. The very innovative feature of PYSOLO lies in its innovative and unique coupling of pyrolysis technology with high temperature CSP system. This ground-breaking feature can potentially offer the following main advantages:
- delivering solar bio-oil, electricity or pyrogas and biochar for many energy and non-energy uses, when solar energy supplies the heat necessary for the pyrolysis process, either in sunny hours or by exploiting high temperature stored solids;
- run in self-mode the pyrolysis process (i.e. with electric heating or burning pyrogas and biochar), when solar energy is not sufficient and the TES unit is discharged;
- providing balancing services to the electric grid:
1. from the conversion of the available pyrogas when solar energy or TES are sufficient to maintain the pyrolysis process running and the grid requires the generation of additional electric power;
2. by using low-cost excess electricity from non-programmable RES (i.e. PV and wind) and converting it in high temperature thermal energy via the induction electric heating system.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringthermodynamic engineering
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuels
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsenergy conversion
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyconcentrated solar power
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinador
20133 Milano
Italia