Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-05-14

Small scale combined heat and power using renewable fuels

Objective



The objective is to develop technically and commercially vile small (5 to 400 kWe) CHP plants involving a gas turbine fired directly by a pressurized biomass-fuelled cyclone combustor. Direct-fired systems avoid the complexity and cost of sophisticated heat exchangers and offer a strong opportunity for commercial exploitation. Use of the more benign fuels should remove the need for an intermediate gasification stage with its attendant capital and operating costs.

The project brings together low cost turbocharger-based gas turbines and high speed brushless alternators with state-of-the-art combustor technology, and advances it with the aid of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling so that the gas stream entering the turbine will be controlled with regard to particulate deposition, erosion and corrosion (DEC) potential. An experimental facility of out 250 kWe will be developed to research and establish the DEC, performance, environmental and control parameters for a realistic range of biomass fuels, define allowable operating temperatures (and hence efficiencies) and establish the design specification for a pre-production prototype unit which will have a target generating cost of 0.06 ECU/kWh and a capital cost of 1500 ECU/kWe. Environmental factors are expected to be positive.

Gas turbines have a number of intrinsic advantages over diesels, with lower maintenance costs, compactness, reduced sensitivity to the physical form of the fuel and higher quality exhaust heat. The engine will be designed with an inlet temperature and pressure ratio optimised for biomass conversion, avoiding the high cost and performance penalties associated with aerospace gas turbine adaptations.

The consortium combines a group of organisations with a wide range of bio-fuel production, manufacturing, utility and RTD experience. J.E.T. Polaron Cortina and P.E.T. (UK) bring together the capability for small gas turbine, high-speed alternator, pressurised combustion and control technology. KEMA (Netherlands) represent the Dutch fuel producers and utilities as well as having extensive R&D experience in this area. CRES (Greece) have expertise in southern European bio-fuel production and in the exploitation of renewable energy. NUMECA (Belgium), through CFD modelling, will ensure that particulate flows are understood, to minimise risk of serious degradation.

This ambitious project has a major potential to create new markets for European industry and new jobs in rural areas and in agriculture, it promises a significant development in the use of sustainable energy.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

Data not available

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

James Engineering (Turbines) Ltd.
EU contribution
No data
Address
St. Johns Road
BS21 7TG Clevedon - Somerset
United Kingdom

See on map

Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

No data

Participants (5)

My booklet 0 0