Objective ONE OF THE MAIN DETERRENTS TO INCREASED UTILISATION OF WOOD AS A FUEL IS THE HIGH (45-60% OF THE TOTAL WEIGHT) AND VARIABLE MOISTURE CONTENT OF FRESHLY-HARVESTED BIOMASS. EXCESSIVE MOISTURE AND FUEL VARIABILITY RESULT IN POOR IGNITION, HIGH VOLUME OF FLUE GASES, REDUCED FURNACE CAPACITY, AND LOW CONVERSION EFFICIENCY. MOISTURE LEVELS BELOW 30% ARE DESIRABLE FOR WOOD COMBUSTION AND GASIFICATION. HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT ALSO GIVES RISE TO PROBLEMS IN STORAGE OF CHIPPED WOOD FUEL; THESE INCLUDE: SELF HEATING, DECOMPOSITION AND DRY MATTER LOSSES, SPONTANEOUS IGNITION, AND OCCURRENCE OF ALLERGY-CAUSING MICROBIAL SPORES. THIS PROJECT IS AIMED AT : 1. DEVELOPING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISMS AFFECTING THE VALUE AND QUALITY OF STORED FOREST BIOMASS, AND 2. EVALUATING THE AIRFLOW AND DRYING CHARACTERISTICS OF CHIPPED FUELWOOD. THE PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF TWO MAIN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION: 1. RESPIRATION AND HEAT PRODUCTION STUDY, AND 2. VENTILATED STORAGE STUDY. THESE STUDIES WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY SUPPORTING PROGRAMME OF: (A) SITE MONITORING, AND (B) FUEL PROPERTY ANALYSIS. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT, IN OCTOBER 1986, WE HAVE CONCENTRATED ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESPIRATION STUDY APPARATUS AND ON THE SITE MONITORING PROGRAMME. THE FULL EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMME SHOULD BE UNDERWAY BY MID-1987. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsagricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomassagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestry Programme(s) FP1-ENNONUC 3C - Research and development programme (EEC) in the field of Non-Nuclear Energy, 1985-1988 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator An Foras Taluntais Address 19,sandymount avenue 4 Dublin Ireland See on map EU contribution € 0,00
