A new innovative CFD-based optimisation method for biomass combustion plants

To test and verify the routine developed, it has been applied to the optimisation of a 180 kWth pilot-scale grate furnace. The main focus was on the minimisation of CO emissions and the pressure loss by changing the diameter and angle of the secondary air nozzles. The simulation results show that the time of the optimisation process can be reduced considerably by the automatic routine developed and the evaluation of several independent design parameters is possible. This new procedure forms an important milestone towards automatic CFD-based furnace and boiler optimisations in the future.