Final Report Summary - BIGPOWER (T Research Capacity of TUBITAK-MRC Institute of Energy in the Fields of Integrated Biomass Gasification with Power Technologies)
The strategic objective of the 'T research capacity of TUBITAK-MRC Institute of Energy in the fields of integrated biomass gasification with power technologies' (BIGPower) project is to improve the research capacity of the centre on biomass gasification and integrated power technologies (herein referred to as the centre) at Tubitak MRC Institute of Energy (IE). Specifically, the centre aspires to improve its research capacity in the area of biomass energy. The project is relevant to European Commission's Priority Thematic Area 6-1, Sustainable Energy Systems.
There was only one contractor, Tubitak, in this specific project. The approach for accomplishing the project objective has multi-faceted. The approach includes:
- upgrading and renewal of related laboratory equipment;
- participation in international conferences; %l - coordination of national and international seminars to enhance the participation in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) / Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) project proposals within Turkey and EU;
- advisory board meetings between the centre and Member State (MS) / Associated Candidate Country (ACC) organisations to identify joint research activities;
- training courses for appropriate centre personnel on selected biomass energy technologies topics; and
- technical visits and short-stays at biomass energy laboratories abroad.
In effort to accomplish the strategic objective, the centre has established the following specific objectives:
- Member meetings: two national members meetings were held.
- New staff: three graduate students and three young engineers (BIGPower team) continued to work with our staff to improve the excellence centre as defined in the project plans.
- Grant students: one grant student, who was sponsored by Tubitak, worked with the BIGPower team.
- Pilot scale fixed bed: the pilot scale fixed bed gasification system (with gas cleaning and data acquisition and control units) was delivered to MRC by the manufacturer; however the system was rejected due to not fulfilling the technical specification completely as explained in the previous reports. This problem could not be solved between two parties; therefore it was taken to the court of law. The costs of the fixed bed gasification system were not reflected to the project budget. Thus, this was out of the project scope.
- Lab-scale fixed bed: an atmospheric pressure fixed bed downdraft biomass gasification system (up to 10 kg / h feeding capacity) was designed with an adequate gas cleaning system. Our team was focused on three types of biomass: wood chips, hazelnut shells and olive cake in the experiments. The obtained gas compositions and also its heating values were comparable with the literature.
- Fluidised beds: two bubbling fluidised bed gasifiers (FBG) funded by the State Planning Organization (SPO) of Turkey were designed and constructed by the BIGPower team. Both of these systems could be operated with air, steam and oxygen in order to maximise the products for different applications. The capacity of pilot scale fluidised bed gasifier and its height is 100 kg / h of biomass fuel and 5.5 m respectively.
- Experiments: the experimental tests with laboratory scale FBG were carried out with different biomass and lignite fuels. The system was integrated with a gas cleaning and an online gas analyzing system. Continuous tar measurement equipment could also be used with the FBG system.
- Purchase: a wet electrostatic precipitator and necessary equipments (scrubber, exchanger and filter) for the gas cleaning of pilot scale fluidized bed gasifier were procured from BIGPower project budget.
- Cold models: two laboratory scale cold test rigs for fluidised bed gasification were constructed and tests were carried out in order to observe the hydrodynamics within the reactor. New ideas for new gasifier designs were conceived during these tests.
- Establishing a laboratory: a new solid fuel analysing laboratory supported by Turkish government was established and necessary equipments such as proximate analysis, elemental analysis, bomb calorimeter, moisture determinator, thermogravimetric analyser, ash furnaces, ash fusion determinator were purchased from national funds. These equipments were calibrated by BIGPower team for industrial and academic analysis.
- Seminars: seminar III was successfully organised. One expert from USA, whose travel and accommodation costs were covered by NATO, was invited.
- International meetings: BIGPower team participated to several international meetings.
- Visitors: four senior scientists visited MRC and shared their experiences with us.
- Trainings: four training programs were organised.
%l - Guest: one PhD student from a participating organisation visited MRC under an exchange visiting program. During his stay, he worked with the BIGPower team on the test rings.
Workshop: a common workshop with JRC was successfully organised, 29 speakers participated (workshop II).
- Dissemination activities: several TV programs were organised for dissemination activities. The present situation of our present and future work was explained. A country report on gasification technology was prepared for IEA.
This project has been a Specific Support Action (SSA), no concrete research activities were defined resulting in gaining knowledge that would have a potential for industrial or commercial application for developing, creating or marketing a product or process or for creating or providing a service.
There was only one contractor, Tubitak, in this specific project. The approach for accomplishing the project objective has multi-faceted. The approach includes:
- upgrading and renewal of related laboratory equipment;
- participation in international conferences; %l - coordination of national and international seminars to enhance the participation in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) / Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) project proposals within Turkey and EU;
- advisory board meetings between the centre and Member State (MS) / Associated Candidate Country (ACC) organisations to identify joint research activities;
- training courses for appropriate centre personnel on selected biomass energy technologies topics; and
- technical visits and short-stays at biomass energy laboratories abroad.
In effort to accomplish the strategic objective, the centre has established the following specific objectives:
- Member meetings: two national members meetings were held.
- New staff: three graduate students and three young engineers (BIGPower team) continued to work with our staff to improve the excellence centre as defined in the project plans.
- Grant students: one grant student, who was sponsored by Tubitak, worked with the BIGPower team.
- Pilot scale fixed bed: the pilot scale fixed bed gasification system (with gas cleaning and data acquisition and control units) was delivered to MRC by the manufacturer; however the system was rejected due to not fulfilling the technical specification completely as explained in the previous reports. This problem could not be solved between two parties; therefore it was taken to the court of law. The costs of the fixed bed gasification system were not reflected to the project budget. Thus, this was out of the project scope.
- Lab-scale fixed bed: an atmospheric pressure fixed bed downdraft biomass gasification system (up to 10 kg / h feeding capacity) was designed with an adequate gas cleaning system. Our team was focused on three types of biomass: wood chips, hazelnut shells and olive cake in the experiments. The obtained gas compositions and also its heating values were comparable with the literature.
- Fluidised beds: two bubbling fluidised bed gasifiers (FBG) funded by the State Planning Organization (SPO) of Turkey were designed and constructed by the BIGPower team. Both of these systems could be operated with air, steam and oxygen in order to maximise the products for different applications. The capacity of pilot scale fluidised bed gasifier and its height is 100 kg / h of biomass fuel and 5.5 m respectively.
- Experiments: the experimental tests with laboratory scale FBG were carried out with different biomass and lignite fuels. The system was integrated with a gas cleaning and an online gas analyzing system. Continuous tar measurement equipment could also be used with the FBG system.
- Purchase: a wet electrostatic precipitator and necessary equipments (scrubber, exchanger and filter) for the gas cleaning of pilot scale fluidized bed gasifier were procured from BIGPower project budget.
- Cold models: two laboratory scale cold test rigs for fluidised bed gasification were constructed and tests were carried out in order to observe the hydrodynamics within the reactor. New ideas for new gasifier designs were conceived during these tests.
- Establishing a laboratory: a new solid fuel analysing laboratory supported by Turkish government was established and necessary equipments such as proximate analysis, elemental analysis, bomb calorimeter, moisture determinator, thermogravimetric analyser, ash furnaces, ash fusion determinator were purchased from national funds. These equipments were calibrated by BIGPower team for industrial and academic analysis.
- Seminars: seminar III was successfully organised. One expert from USA, whose travel and accommodation costs were covered by NATO, was invited.
- International meetings: BIGPower team participated to several international meetings.
- Visitors: four senior scientists visited MRC and shared their experiences with us.
- Trainings: four training programs were organised.
%l - Guest: one PhD student from a participating organisation visited MRC under an exchange visiting program. During his stay, he worked with the BIGPower team on the test rings.
Workshop: a common workshop with JRC was successfully organised, 29 speakers participated (workshop II).
- Dissemination activities: several TV programs were organised for dissemination activities. The present situation of our present and future work was explained. A country report on gasification technology was prepared for IEA.
This project has been a Specific Support Action (SSA), no concrete research activities were defined resulting in gaining knowledge that would have a potential for industrial or commercial application for developing, creating or marketing a product or process or for creating or providing a service.