Electric Field Effect on the Thermal Decomposition and Co-Combustion of Straw Pellets with Peat

Abstract

The main goal of the present study is to obtain a more effective utilization of wheat straw for energy production during a co-combustion with peat. For this purpose, an electric field was applied to the flame produced by the combustion of volatiles. This work combines experimental study and mathematical modelling of the processes developing during the co-combustion of straw pellets with peat pellets. The main gasification/combustion characteristics, the heat output from the device and the composition of the flue gas were analysed by varying separately the bias voltage of the axial electrode and the straw mass load in the mixture with intention to assess the electric field impact. A mathematical model of the electric field impact on the main combustion characteristics (flow velocity, flame temperature and composition) of co-combustion have been built within the MATLAB environment. The numerical simulation was performed for two dominant second order combustion reactions of CO and H2 with account for the electric field effect on the displacement of equilibrium during the thermal decomposition of the biomass.