Feasible microgeneration system for small amounts of solid biomass as fuel

Author(s): Jorge Bedolla-Hernández-Hernández, Vicente Flores-Lara, José Michael Cruz-García, and Carlos Alberto Mora-Santos
Department of Metal-Mechanics, National Technological Institute of Mexico / Apizaco Institute of Technology, Av Tecnológico s/n, Apizaco, Tlaxcala, C.P. 90300, México
International Journal of Smart Grid and Clean Energy, vol. 10, no. 4, October 2021: pp. 270-277
Digital Object Identifier: 10.12720/sgce.10.4.270-277

Abstract: Solid biomass can be considered as an alternative to fossil fuels in microgeneration. Although there are currently options for biomass generation, these are mainly focused on continuous production, with the respective proportional amount of fuel consumption. In this study, the viability of applying a microgeneration system on a small scale is analyzed. The system uses solid biomass from forest residues as combustible. The size of the boiler in the system is similar to a domestic one with a capacity of 20 L. The study considers small amounts of solid biomass; therefore the arrangement of the initial configuration of the biomass in the fireplace is analyzed to achieve the best use of energy from combustion. The initial percentage of water contained in the boiler to reach a convenient relationship of steam and heating time of the system is analyzed. The amount of steam generated is small, and then the feed of steam to the turbine is variable in terms of mass flow and pressure; as well as its quality. For this reason, an adhesion turbine is integrated as part of the system to reduce the inconveniences in the operation of conventional turbines. The proposed system can operate in a range of up to 25000 rpm, depending on the variable mass flow. The results reveal that the microgeneration system can be regarded as a viable alternative to be applied in the microgeneration process.

Keywords: Adhesion turbine, microgeneration, small scale, solid biomass
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