Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (May 2019)
Low-grade fuels of Tomsk region: prospects for energy use
Abstract
The relevance of the discussed issue is caused by the need to substitute the imported energy resources by local low-grade fuels in the regional fuel-energy balances. The main aim of the study is to determine thermal properties of local fuels in Tomsk region and evaluate their energy use viability. The methods used in the study. Thermotechnical characteristics of low-grade fuels were determined by standard methods GOST R 52911-2008, 11022-95 and 6382-2001. Calorific value and elemental composition were studied using a bomb calorimeter ABK-1 and Vario micro cube analyzer. The composition of the mineral ash was investigated in accordance with GOST 10538-87. To study the combustion efficiency of syngas produced by low temperature catalytic raw conversion the authors have applied the mathematical modeling. Three-dimensional cocurrent flows of syngas and air were considered with non-isothermal incompressible multicomponent gas model in order to describe combustion mathematically. For numerical simulation of chemical reactions under turbulent flow conditions the authors applied the proven Spalding's EBU-model. The pulsation (turbulent) flow characteristics were calculated using a widespread two-parameter "k-?" model. Calculation of radiation heat-exchange was produced by spherical harmonics approach in the first approximation. The results. The discussed low-grade fuels of Tomsk region in untreated form are not able to replace imported coal in regional energy balance, because of the high moisture and ash content values. The promising direction of low-temperature fuel processing is a catalytic conversion, which allows receiving hydrogen-enriched syngas from the initial solid raw. Obtained syngas can be used effectively in the power industry to produce heat and electricity without expensive upgrades of gas equipment.
