Jan Stemann
Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Energy Engineering, Germany
Felix Ziegler
Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Energy Engineering, Germany
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3384/ecp11057125Published in: World Renewable Energy Congress - Sweden; 8-13 May; 2011; Linköping; Sweden
Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 57:17, p. 125-132
Published: 2011-11-03
ISBN: 978-91-7393-070-3
ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)
To date wet lignocellulosic biomass cannot be used efficiently for energy production. By hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) wet biomass may be efficiently transformed to a solid; lignite-like fuel with good dewatering and grinding properties and a high calorific value. Energetic yields of the HTC reaction can be derived from lab scale experiments. However; for the assessment of energetic efficiencies of a HTC plant the amount of external energy consumption needs to be calculated. A model of a semi-continuously HTC plant is presented with a heat recovery system which is based on recycling of hot compressed water. Results of simulations with the program Engineering Equations Solver show that energy consumption can be significantly reduced by internal heat recovery. Efficiencies of a HTC plant model are presented based on experiments with beech wood chips as a model biomass. A sensitivity analysis of the water content of the biomass and the heat of reaction is presented.
