Ash related behaviour in staged and non-staged combustion of biomass fuels and fuel mixtures

The fate of selected elements (with focus on the important players in corrosion i.e. Na, K, Pb, Zn, Cl and S) are investigated for three biomasses (wood, demolition wood and coffee waste) and six mixtures of these as pellets both with and without air staging in a laboratory reactor. In order to get a complete overview of the combustion products, both online and offline analytical methods are used. Information is collected about: flue gas composition, particle (fly ash) size distribution and composition, bottom ash composition and melting properties. The main findings are: (1) complex interactions are taking place between the mixed fuels during combustion; (2) the mode of occurrence of an element as well as the overall structure of the fuel are important for speciation; (3) the pelletisation process, by bringing chemical elements into intimate contact, may affect partitioning and speciation; (4) staging and mixing might simultaneously have positive and negative effects on operation; (5) staging affects the governing mechanisms of fly ash (aerosols) formation.

► Complex interactions are taking place between the mixed fuels during combustion.
► The mode of occurrence of an element as well as the overall structure of the fuel are important for speciation.
► The pelletisation process, by bringing chemical elements into intimate contact, may affect partitioning and speciation.
► Staging and mixing might simultaneously have positive and negative effects on operation.
► Staging affects the governing mechanisms of fly ash (aerosols) formation.