1. Plasma Technology in Bio-Energy
Thermo-Chemical Conversion Biomass Gasification
Plasma
Technology in
Bio-Energy 8
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2. Applications of Plasma Plasma Gasification Plasma Pyrolysis
Plasma Technology - Contents
What is Plasma?
Applications of Plasma
Plasma Gasification
Plasma Pyrolysis
Plasma Combustion
Plasma Hydrocarbon reforming
Plasma syngas cleaning 8
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3. “FOURTH STATE OF MATTER”
What is Plasma?
Quasineutral, electrically conductive gas of charged and neutral particles which exhibits collective behaviour.
“FOURTH STATE OF MATTER”
99% of matter in Universe is in Plasma state 8
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4. Lightning Aurora borealis Solar corona Ionosphere Gaseous nebulae
Plasma in Nature
Lightning
Aurora borealis
Solar corona
Ionosphere
Gaseous nebulae
Stellar interiors 8
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5. Plasma Types HOME 8 Thermal Plasma Non-thermal Plasma
Gas temperature = Electron temperature (Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium, LTE) , T>4000K
Gas temperature << Electron temperature (No LTE)
Used in applications that require very high temperature and energy density
Used to create energetic species even at very low temperature that can initiate chemical reactions 8
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6. Plasma Gasification
Thermal plasma technology can almost breakdown any materials other than radioactive.
Thus, plasma gasification can be utilised to extract energy from all waste kinds.
Very high temperature achieved through plasma torch is the main advantage over the conventional gasification system. 8
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7. Plasma Gasification HOME 8 8 Centre for Sustainable Technologies
Source :
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8. Plasma Pyrolysis
Plasma pyrolysis is similar to plasma gasification except that pyrolysis happens in complete absence of air or oxygen starved environment. 8
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9. Energy recovery efficiency
Comparison
Plasma Gasification
Gasification
Incineration
Type of Reaction
Limited oxidant (< stoichiometric)
Excess air for complete combustion
Process Temperature
1500 °C – 5000°C
400 °C – 900°C
850 °C – 1200°C
Product
CO, CO2, H2, H2O, CH4
Waste heat from cooling syngas that could be
recovered
CO2, H2O, waste heat that could be recovered
Energy recovery efficiency
Higher gross energy
recovery resulting from
complete decomposition
to elemental level
Higher from less heat loss due to deficit of air.
Not all char broken
down ,therefore
not all energy released
Lower resulting from excess air leading to more waste heat up the
stack 8
Source : Larry Gray
MANE 6960 – Solid and Hazardous Waste Prevention and Control Engineering
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10. Plasma Gasification – Conclusion
Plasma gasification offers better environmental performance through lower emissions, reduced volume of waste, the vitrified slag which could be either landfilled or serve as filler material, such as in road construction.
Though the technology does require significant electrical energy input, it offers flexibility and a more environmentally friendly means to dispose MSW.
If the primary goal is to significantly reduce the volume of waste that would need to be placed in a landfill with a secondary objective of recovering some useful energy, then plasma gasification should be a technology worthy of consideration in the treatment of municipal solid waste. 8
Source : Larry Gray
MANE 6960 – Solid and Hazardous Waste Prevention and Control Engineering
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11. Plasma assisted Combustion
Recent development of alternative and bio-derived fuels to address energy sustainability and CO2 emissions further complicates the combustion and emission control.
Alternative fuels have completely different molecular structures
and ignition properties from traditional transportation fuels. Moreover, biogas consists of trace amounts of hazardous materials such as sulphur volatile organic compounds (VOCs), silicone, and sulphur compounds.
Therefore, ignition and emission control using biofuels and alternative fuels can be very challenging. 8
Source : Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 48 (2015) 21e83
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12. Plasma assisted Combustion
Promising Technology for
Improving engine performance
Increase lean burn flame stability
Reduce emissions
Enhance low temperature fuel oxidation and processing 8
Source : Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 48 (2015) 21e83
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13. Plasma assisted Combustion – Enhancement pathways
New reaction pathways from plasma such as atomic O production from the collisions between high energy electrons/ions and oxygen molecules, can be introduced into combustion systems to modify the fuel oxidation pathways considerably. 8
Source : Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 48 (2015) 21e83
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14. Plasma assisted Combustion – Few of many works cited
Engine/Burner
Objective
Merits
Problems
Institution / Company
Ozone from DBD
Diesel engine
Ignition
Decreased ignition timing
Not reported
University of Orleans, CNRS
DBD
Diesel engine exhausts
Emissions
Simultaneous soot, unburnt HC, Nox & PAHs reduction
High E/N may cause NOx formation from plasma
Tianjin University
MW + spark
Gasoline engine, small IC engine
Stable leaner combustion &
improved stability
Imagineering, Inc., Princeton
University
Nanosecond
pulsed discharge
Swirl-stabilized gas
turbine burner
Flame stabilization,
lean blowout limits
Improved stability,
leaner combustion
Plasma can also
cause instability
Technical University of Berlin,
CNRS & Ecole Central Paris 8
Source : Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 48 (2015) 21e83
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15. Plasma reformation of Hydrocarbons
The most potentially benefit of non-thermal plasma assisted chemical processes is that the input energy can be used to stimulate the chemical reactions but not heat the bulk gases.
Non-thermal plasma region provides a reactive atmosphere to
make the highly endothermic reactions occur out of thermodynamic equilibrium.
Feed for reforming
Natural gas
Greenhouse gases
Methane
N-heptane or other fuels
VOCs and other exhausts 8
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16. Plasma reformation- Methane dry reforming
Comparison of energy conversion efficiency with different plasmas
Features of non-thermal plasma reforming
Hydrogen selectivity & enrichment
Energy efficient
Low operating temperature
Flexibility to choose plasma type optimising performance 8
Source : International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 3 4 ( ) –
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17. Plasma syngas cleaning
As non-thermal plasma provides high energy electrons that create favourable reactive environment regardless of the feed gas temperature.
Though control over selectivity of products depends on plasma utilisation of produced radicals and excited species, the destruction of the feed is possible at very low temperature.
This enables to clean the raw producer gas or syngas (same as plasma reforming of HCs) by destructing the tar.
Based on the domination of cracking or polymerisation reaction mechanisms, product species and selectivity will change. 8
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18. Plasma for reforming /cleaning – Published works
Order of most used feed gas: Methane / bio gas >> other HCs > Tar
Tar destruction and cleaning/enriching the raw gas is the most happening research and promising technology. 8
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