Autonomous Biofuel Power Unit to Provide Thermal and Electrical Energy for Individual Consumers

Abstract

Two versions of thermal schemes of low-capacity bioenergy complexes providing reliable heat and electricity for household consumers are proposed in this article. The first scheme is a combination of a pneumatic energy accumulator and a pellet boiler of a special design. A pneumatic accumulator is designed to generate electrical energy in the amount necessary to power the auxiliary pellet boiler systems in the event of an emergency shutdown of the centralized power supply. During the study, it was determined that in order to increase the working time of the complex from a charged accumulator, it is advisable to heat the air at the entrance of the expander with combustion products taken from the gas pipeline of the boiler. Heating the air to 400°C at a fixed pressure increases the operating time of the boiler from the charged accumulator by 81.5% due to the reduction of the air consumption which is required to provide the specified electric power. The specialty of the second scheme is the possibility of reliable heat supply during the complete absence of any connection to the power supply network. As a result of the variant simulation of the thermal scheme, it was established that at a temperature of 400°C of the heated air and at a pressure of 3 bar, the power of the expander is sufficient enough to ensure the operation of the compressor and to cover the boiler's auxiliaries.