IMPROVEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS THROUGH INTEGRATION OF SMALL SCALE HEAT AND POWER PRODUCTION WITH NON-FOOD VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS. (BIODEGRADABLE LUBRICATION OILS AND ACTIVATED CHARCOAL)

Objective

The primary objective is to establish and verify cost and performance parameters for various integrated concepts in which agricultural products are utilized both as feedstocks for production of non-food value-added products and for small scale heat and power production. The secondary objective is to generate experimental data to verify and support the critical features within these concepts. The project includes six tasks:

1. Biomass, co-product and pyrolysis oil characterisation

2. Pyrolysis Oil production and treatment

3. Diesel engine tests with pyrolysis oil

4. Boiler combustion tests with pyrolysis oil

5. Techno-economic assessments of proposed systems

6. Coordination.

Experimental data is generated within the proposed project for the cost and performance studies. The experimental work is focused on the critical issues of the electricity production concept. Selected agricultural products and other biomasses, co-products, and Pyrolysis oils will be characterized. The feedstock species include straw, miscanthus, residues from agricultural production (e.g. rapeseed oil processing residues), some fast growing wood species, etc. Pyrolysis oil will be produced in a pilot-scale pyrolysis reactor for combustion and engine tests. Primary pyrolysis oil will be treated for the engine tests. Tests in diesel engines will be carried out to determine the engine performance and emissions with pyrolysis oil. Combustion tests with pyrolysis oil will be carried out to determine the boiler performance and emissions. Finally the production systems will be analyzed in detail to determine their cost and performance. Experimental data from tasks 1 to 4 will be employed. Three site specific technoeconomic studies will be carried out: a South European, a Central European, and a North European study. The methods applied in the project include experimental work both in PDU (process development unit) and Pilot scale, comprehensive analytical work, tests in a diesel engine, boiler tests, and cost and performance studies. The results may be employed in assessing alternative industrial production schemes for agriculture. The results will be compared to the cost and performance of presently applied systems. If the results of the proposed work prove successful, the results may be employed in designing of demonstration of the technology.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › tribology › lubrication
• social sciences › economics and business › economics
• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › agriculture
• agricultural sciences › agricultural biotechnology › biomass
• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › forestry

Programme(s)

• FP3-AIR - Specific research and technological development and demonstration programme (EEC) in the field of agriculture and agro-industry, including fisheries, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

• 325 - Bioenergy

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

Address

Tekniikantie 4 C
02044 Espoo
Finland

Participants (4)

CENTER FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES - CRES

Greece

Address

Athinon - Marathonos Ave., Km. 19
190 09 Pikermi - Attiki

ELKRAFT POWER COMPANY LTD.

Denmark

Address

Lautruph0ej 5
2750 Ballerup

NESTE OY

Finland

Address

P.o. Box 310
6101 Porvoo

UNION FENOSA S.A.

Spain

Address

Capitan Haya 53
28020 Madrid