Description
Reduction of CO2 emission is necessary to mitigate climate warming. New ideas for efficient and CO2-neutral power production are needed. The main objective of the NewLoop project is to investigate a high-performance, low-cost CO2 capture process, competitive to existing clean coal technologies. The project will provide the innovation and understanding of processes based on the idea of chemical looping combustion (CLC). The project will investigate new CLC technologies for highly efficient combustion of solid fuels, that will be flexible in a matter of fuel type and will have a reduced environmental-footprint. At first project will focus on a development and investigation of new materials that can be used as oxygen carriers in CLC technologies. Then interactions between materials and solid fuels will be tested. Results will provide a real input for computer simulations of CLC process. A new laboratory stand will be erected and actual combustion tests will be performed. With this experience a concept of industrial CLC-power plant will be drawn. The project will benefit researchers interested in new combustion concepts and ideas for climate warming mitigation.
Summary of project results
Strict targets of CO2-neutral power generation system are a challenge motivating for invention and implementation of new technologies as a counterweight to well-known oxy-combustion, IGCC or post-combustion technologies with rather high energy penalties/low efficiencies. The NewLoop Project focus on the novel idea for solid fuels combustion via chemical looping technology (CLC). The advantage of CLC over oxy-combustion is much lower energy demand related to O2 production because of use of reactive solid materials named oxygen carriers (OC). Proposed idea utilize advantages of two, already known technologies: Chemical Looping with Oxygen Uncoupling (CLOU) and in-situ Gasification Chemical Looping (iG-CLC) therefore such hybrid CLC (HCLC) is more flexible and efficient. Although general idea of HCLC is easy to understand, its technical realization requires a number of consistent and comprehensive research. Research program was focused on evaluation, synthesis and characterization of various OCs. Especially OCs lifetime and minimal OC to fuel ratios required for efficient fuel consumption was determined on the basis of laboratory tests. The combustion process complexity was tested in especially designed facility with fluidized bed reactor. Experimental tests were supported by CFD simulations, for better understanding of the combustion process, model improvement and scale-up procedures which supported the design of the concept of industrial CLC reactor integrated with CHP. Finally the environmental impacts of CLC-based technologies were investigated. The outcome of the NewLoop Project is the selection of natural and synthetic materials that can be used for CLC technology during combustion of solid fuels. The other, most important project outcome is the proof of the concept of new test rig dedicated to coal and biomass co-combustion. On this basis, the scale-up of the unit to the industrial CLC boiler and its integration with CHP system constitute a ready-to-implementation technological concept. Life Cycle Assessment enriched by data from experimental and numerical studies represents first in the world description of the realistic impact of the new-CLC based technology on the environment. Experimental work done within the Project provide the unique knowledge about CLC technology. Broad range simulations enables deeper (than ever) insight into the rules that governs the CLC processes.
Summary of bilateral results
NewLoop Project strengthened scientific cooperation between two countries in order to increase the national economies, through the development of the new technology. The results of the project contributed to the mutual benefits of both countries with the development of the efficient and sustainable technology potentially applicable in the energy sector. Cooperation is also confirmed by the international exchange of scientists, allowing better knowledge exchange and competence building. Goals were realistic to achieve within the framework of the project thanks to existing knowledge, experience, staff and laboratory equipment of the partners which gave necessary basis for investigation of new technologies, but also experience of partners’ research groups in the realization of many international and national projects concerning coal-fired technologies. All the project objectives were achieved through close cooperation between project partners who complement each-other by experience e.g. in designing of test rigs and leading of laboratory experiments but also by mathematical modelling and CFD simulations. Cooperation sustainability is expected to be achieved through partners’ contribution to future initiatives (industrial projects as well as modelling issues) concerning clean coal technologies like CLC, and more over improvement of the potential to participate in EU projects. Direct cooperation between partners will provide opportunity to transform of arising new research ideas into EU common projects. Project has given the opportunity to establish the first collaborative relationship between Polish and Norwegian Research Institutions. Synergies and collaboration opportunities for future R&D projects have been identified and are being further exploited by ongoing discussions for new project proposals. So far, as a continuation of bilateral activities supported under the Fund for Bilateral Relations Coordinator of NewLoop Project get the reimbursement of costs of visit to Norway for planning of joint research undertakings or joint proposals. The scope of the visit (funded project – NILIFEn) includes the possibilities of planning applications for Horizon 2020, the Norwegian Fund under the Polish-Norwegian Research Cooperation Program and other international programs, exchange of experience in project administration, undertaking research activities in the field of clean coal technologies, mainly Chemical Looping Combustion, oxy-combustion and CO2 use.