Objetivo THE AIM OF THE PROJECT CARRIED OUT BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IS TO DESIGN AND DEVELOP A SMALL SCALE ATMOSPHERIC FLUIDIZED BED BOILER OF 25 KW SUITABLE FOR SMALL INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL OR EVEN DOMESTIC APPLICATIONS. A SIGNIFICANT ELEMENT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RELIABLE AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE BOILER, WITH MINIMUM MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. TO ACHIEVE THIS, MICROPROCESSOR TECHNOLOGY IS TO BE EMPLOYED. THE FLUIDIZED BED IS EXPECTED TO BE CHEAP AND TO HAVE HIGH COMBUSTION EFFICIENCIES WITH DIFFERENT FUEL TYPES (SUCH AS LOW GRADE COAL) FOR PART LOAD OPERATION. THE SYSTEM WILL HAVE A HIGH TURNDOWN RATIO (RATIO OF THE MAXIMUM TO MINIMUM POSSIBLE HEAT OUTPUT IS 50 : 1), A SHORT START UP TIME (20 MINUTES) AND WILL BE FULLY AUTOMATIC. WITHIN THE FLUIDIZED BED (BED AREA OF 10 X 20 CM) INTERNAL CIRCULATION IS OBTAINED WITH THE AID OF A SLOPING BASE AND A LOCALLY STRONGER AIR FLOW IN THE UPPER SLOPPING PART OF THE BASE. SUCH A CIRCULATION GIVES EFFICIENT MIXING AND COMBUSTION OF THE FUEL WITH VARYING DIAMETER. THE HEAT IS EXTRACTED BY THE FLUIDIZED BED WALLS WHICH ARE WATER COOLED. THE HIGH TURNDOWN RATIO CAN BE OBTAINED BY VARYING THE HEIGHT OF THE BED THUS VARYING THE HEAT TRANSFER SURFACE AND BY PARTIALLY SLUMPING THE BED; WHICH IS FACILITATED BY THE SLOPING BASE. START UP IS DONE ELECTRICALLY WITH A HEATER OF 1 KW. THE STUDY OF THE ELEMENTS OF DESIGN WAS CARRIED OUT IN PERSPEX EXPERIMENTAL RIGS (COLD MODELS). LATER A PROTOTYPE BOILER WAS CONSTRUCTED AND SOME OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE WAS GAINED. THE WORK HAS SHOWN THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO BURN SMALL COAL. THIS PERFORMANCE REPRESENTS CONSIDERABLE ENERGY SAVING OVER CONVENTIONAL SOLID FUEL BOILERS IN THIS SIZE RANGE, AND REPRESENTS CONSIDERABLE COST SAVINGS IN BURNING WHAT IS PROBABLY THE CHEAPEST FUEL ON THE MARKET (UNWASHED SMALLS). HOWEVER, IT IS YET TO BE SHOWN THAT GOOD BOILER EFFICIENCY CAN BE OBTAINED WITH THE COMBUSTOR OPERATING OVER A WIDE RANGE OF LOAD DEMANDS. IT HAS ALSO TO BE SHOWN THAT THE BOILER WILL OPERATE RELIABLY OVER EXTENDED PERIODS UNDER FULL AUTOMATIC CONTROL. NOVEL APPROACHES TO A NUMBER OF ASPECTS OF THE BOILER DESIGN HAVE PROVEN SUCCESSFUL, AND SUFFICIENT EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN OBTAINED TO LEAD TO THE DESIGN FOR THE POST PROTOTYPE BOILER. Programa(s) PRE-ENNONUC 2C - Energy research and development programme (EEC), 1979-1983 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación Data not available Coordinador THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección PLASSY TECHNOLOGICAL PARK LIMERICK Irlanda Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos
