Industrial-scale biomass combustion plants: engineering issues and operation

Abstract: Biomass-fired steam boilers are finding increasing use in industrial-scale applications for both heat and power generation. This chapter compares the main technologies for biomass combustion – spreader stoker, mass burn and biomass bubbling fluidised bed (BFB)/circulating fluidised bed (CFB) – and discusses specific issues to be addressed in the design of biomass-fired steam boiler plants. Examples of recent biomass-to-energy plants are given in order to illustrate how project-specific factors influenced the design. A section is dedicated to non-wood biomass fuels and how their characteristics affect plant design. Conversion of existing coal-fired boilers to biomass firing is also discussed. The final part of the chapter deals with operational issues of biomass-fired plants.