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Description
The project aims at the construction of a syngas production installation for gasification of sewage sludge. Next, syngas will be burnt in the oxy combustion chamber, the produced flue gases will drive the expander and then go to the ejector condenser, where CO2 will be separated from water and captured. Due to this, the problem of CO2 emissions to the surroundings is solved. In addition, bearing in mind that the sludge is a renewable energy source, the gas-fired power plant with negative CO2 emissions to the environment is developed. The main challenge of the project is the design and construction of a demonstrator that burns the syngas produced by gasification, as well as separating CO2 from water and capturing it. Another challenge is the appropriate way to gasify the sewage sludge, so that vitrification of solid residues will be possible. The project will first develop thermodynamic models for pro-ecological systems with the aid of oxy-combustion and CO2 capture, which will allow for comprehensive thermal-flow analyzes. Based on the boundary parameters obtained in such a way developed will be numerical models followed by advanced CFD and CSD analysis, as a result of which a wet chamber, an ejector condenser and other auxiliary devices, including a separator and heat exchangers, will be built. Developed documentation will be converted to demonstrators which will be put into a container, where experimental testing to prove its functionality will be carried out. Additional benefits of the project result from cooperation with partners which include the creation of a new technology and tightening cooperation between them. Development of the demonstrator will enable to start common activities between research institutes, academia, and industry. The added value will be the know-how of individual partners, the built prototype installation with a wide ranging measurement possibilities, software for numerical analysis and scientific articles.
Summary of project results
The novel approach is aiming to obtain CO2 negative emission power production by using an innovative power cycle, coupled with CCS, in order to process sewage sludge. Proposed plant does not use sorbent, but instead gasification, with steam used as an agent, is proposed, followed by oxy-combustion in the gas turbine, with addition of water for cooling processes in combustion chamber. Subsequently water will be condensed and CO2 will be compressed in new type of condenser. This CO2 can then be pumped into oil/gas reservoirs for underground storage. As sewage sludge is considered to be biomass, this will consequently make the plant CO2 negative. The project was needed because it confirmed the feasibility of a negative CO2 power plant (nCO2PP) with simultaneous gasification of sewage sludge and its conversion into electricity.
The innovative nCO2PP thermodynamic cycle was implemented in the context of the creation of three islands of equipment technology, namely: 1) gasification, 2) wet combustion chamber, and 3) spray-ejector condenser. This implementation was extremely important because of the demonstration of the technology''s operation as a system for reducing the carbon footprint. The main result of the project was the development of 4 technologies, the preparation of at least 5 patent applications, the creation of a number of publications and the giving of opportunities for development to a wide range of scientists.
Dedicated experimental stations have been built as a result of project, which can be listed sequentially: 1) for gasification using a plasmotron, 2) for condensation of water vapor in the presence of inert gases using a spray-ejector condenser; 3) for separation of CO2 from water; 4) the process of thermal transpiration through a WHIPOX plate; 5) the shape of the flame during oxidation; 6) a wet combustion chamber; 7) demonstration of the entire technology in an nCO2PP container. The main change to be provided by the project is the possibility of the use of sewage sludge to produce electricity while having a positive impact on the environment. The situation is improved by development of the installation of sewage sludge gasification and its utilization in a gas-fired power plant with carbon dioxide capture. The synergy between the CCS/CCU plant and the proposed utilization of sewage sludge (which is considered a renewable energy source) enables the installation to achieve overall negative emissions of CO2.
The project was completed satisfactorily demonstrating the feasibility of implementing negative CO2 Power Plant (nCO2PP) technology. It has been confirmed that it is technically feasible to carry out gasification of sewage sludge using a plasmotron, further combustion of the resulting gas in a wet combustion chamber with water transpiration cooling and, in the last stage, condensation of steam and separation of carbon dioxide. A number of theoretical analyses were conducted, extending the issues previously foreseen in the project with new critical aspects. The project nCO2PP intensified cooperation between the Gdańsk University of Technology (Gdańsk Tech) and the project partners, i.e. two foreign partners, namely NTNU (Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet) and SINTEF (SINTEF Energi AS) and partners from Poland, i.e. Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of Polish Academy of Sciences (IMP PAN), Wrocław University of Science and Technology (WUST), AGH University of Science and Technology and two Polish enterprises (IASE - Institute of Power Systems Automation Sp. z o.o. and Bros Control Sp. z o.o.). Measurement campaigns were performed at five institutions at Gdańsk Tech, AGH, WUST, IMP PAN and SINTEF confirming the feasibility of implementing the various technologies forming the final product, which is the nCO2PP cycle demonstrator. One of the experimental focuses of the nCO2PP project was to test the burner of a wet combustion chamber (WCC) and transpiration cooling using a porous structure liner. These experiments formed an integrated approach to testing the WCC as a novelty in the project. In the burner experiment using SINTEF facilities, an oxy-fuel mixture was burned in the quartz tube chamber to study various turbulent diffusion flame characteristics, including structure, length, and stability, using high-speed cameras. The goal of the oxy-combustion is to capture CO2 in the subsequent H2O condensation process. On the other hand, the theoretically thermodynamic cycle nCO2PP combines such key devices: wet combustion chamber, spray-ejector condenser, gasifier and gas-steam turbine with medium bleed. Proposed process of utilization, called nCO2PP, ensured reaching of scientific objectives related to three essential theoretical elements of the project, namely: 1) a system that processes sewage sludge into syngas; 2) a system that burns the resulting fuel in pure oxygen in a dedicated wet combustion chamber; and 3) a system of a unique turbine cooperating with a spray-ejector condenser with carbon dioxide capture.
To sum up, as a result of the project implementation, there was developed technologies for the management of the syngas produced from sewage sludge gasification, and a dedicated wet combustion chamber with the use of oxy-combustion for the type of fuel developed.
Summary of bilateral results
The project benefited from having a Norwegian partner(s), as there was an opportunity to travel abroad to Trondheim, both to NTNU and to SINTEF. There were joint results in the development of the project as a whole, as well as the individual devices in the project. The collaboration has led to improved knowledge and understanding both scientifically and culturally.The main results of cooperation at the bilateral level are the articles and jointly submitted grants listed in the overall report. The broader outcome is a better understanding of the performance of the novel devices operating in the nCO2PP plant.There are further plans for collaboration including the completion of articles and joint conference presentations.