Biomass for Energy and Industry, 10th European Conference and Technology Exhibition

June 8–11 1998, Würzburg (Germany)

COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY IN BIOMASS FURNACES WITH

FLUE GAS CONDENSATION

P. Neuenschwander2, J. Good2, and Th. Nussbaumer1,2

1
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, CH - 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
2
Verenum Research, Langmauerstr. 109, CH - 8006 Zurich, Switzerland, Fax: +41 1 364 1421, Email: verenum@access.ch

ABSTRACT: The flue gas condensation can increase the conversion efficiency of heat plants signifi-
cantly, particularly for fuels with high water content. The ideal recoverable heat depends on ambient con-
ditions. Therefore the ambient conditions have to be taken into consideration for the determination of the
efficiency of a particular heat plant. Especially for the planning of heat plants an accurate method has t o
be used. For the monitoring of heat plants a simplified method can be used. The procedures for an accurate
as well as for a simplified efficiency determination are described in this paper.
Keywords: Flue gas condensation, heat plant, furnace, efficiency,

1. INTRODUCTION • technique of combustion air preheating and humidifi-

The flue gas from wood combustion contains significant
amounts of steam (10% – 20% vol.). The fraction of
steam in the flue gas is especially high if fresh cut wood
is burned. The condensation of the steam releases latent
energy which can be transferred in a condenser to a heat-
ing circuit or to the combustion air. The efficiency of
heating systems can increase up to 20% due to the earn-
ing of the latent energy.
Besides the benefit in efficiency the flue gas condensa-
tion can reduce the emission of large particles. Particles
>10 µm are separated almost completely [1].
Due to condensation, the flue gas leaves the condenser
saturated with steam. The steam is condensing after the
chimney due to the mixing with colder ambient air. Due
to aesthetic reasons, visible steam from flue gas is often
not accepted and measures to prevent visible condensa-
tion have to be taken therefore.
2. IMPACTS ON THE EFFICIENCY
The impacts of flue gas condensation on the conversion
efficiency can be divided into two groups. A first group
describes all the parameters which do not depend on the
plant design and operation:
• fuel composition,
• fuel humidity,
• fuel temperature,
• ambient air temperature,
• ambient air humidity,
• ambient pressure, and altitude.
And a second group with the parameters depending o n
plant technique and heating system:
• excess air ratio,
• burn out quality,
• boiler losses, boiler room losses
• flue gas temperature,
• temperature of the condensed water,
• return temperature,
cation and
• the auxiliary units.
Therefore different efficiencies have to be defined:
• overall efficiency of plant and distribution η PD,
• plant efficiency η P with condenser (and steam pre-
vention unit if installed), and
• efficiency of the furnace ηF.
2.1 Ideal Heat Recovery
The maximum heat is gained at an excess air ratio of 1
and with complete combustion. The boiler has to be in-
sulated ideally and the flue gas, the condensed water as
well as the ashes have to be released at ambient tempera-
ture. No energy for auxiliary units has to be used.
The amount of maximum ideal heat recovery does not de-
pend on the wood humidity, while it changes slightly
due to the different chemical energy of different wood
compositions. Changing ambient temperature and pres-
sure change the usable heat slightly, while air humidity
does not change it significantly.
Since the ideal amount of heat is not constant, the effi-
ciency of each heat plant has to be judged in regard of its
own ambient conditions. However, if the efficiencies of
various heat plants are compared, the humidity of the
burned wood has to be taken into account for the judge-
ments due to the flue gas temperature which is always
above ambient temperature.
2.2 Effective Heat Recovery
Furnaces are usually operated with an excess air ratio
λ≥1.5 to allow a complete combustion. Due to the differ-
ence between flue gas and ambient temperature and due t o
the air humidity which is usually below saturation, flue
gas losses increase with increasing excess air ratio.
State of the art furnaces operate with nearly complete
combustion. Typically, the carbon oxide emissions are
significantly below 300 ppm. Additionally, the flue gas
could also contain hydrocarbons or particles from car-
bon and the ashes can contain an unburned fraction.
However, experimental results show that losses of for the transport of the water of the distribution system,
chemical energy in the flue gas and the ashes are negli- they use auxiliary power PauxD.
gible for well designed and operated furnaces [2,3].
The boiler losses of the furnace are approximately 2% of
the fuel energy. It depends on plant technique whether i t 3. EFFICIENCY OF THE HEAT PLANT
is possible to regain a certain part of the boiler losses,
e.g. for the preheating of the combustion air. Therefore 3.1 Mass Flows and Energy Flows
it is reasonable to take the boiler room losses Q̇ LR into The calculation of the mass flows and the energy flows i s
consideration for the calculation of the heat plant effi- made with reference to 1 kilogram of dry and ash free
ciency. However, the boiler losses Q̇ LB influence the wood. Inert solid material has no impact on the energy
furnace efficiency [2]. balance if it is released as ashes at the same temperature
The flue gas and the condensed water are released at a as it is fed into the furnace. For the modelling the fol-
temperature above ambient temperature. This tempera- lowing is assumed therefore:
ture level depends on plant design and on return tempera- • All combustion products are released with the flue
ture of the heat distribution system. Therefore these gas.
losses do not belong to the furnace, they belong to the • The wood is fed into the furnace at ambient tempera-
heat plant. The efficiency of furnaces η F can be calcu- ture.
lated after [2]. To determine the efficiency of the heat • All minerals and metals pass the furnace inertly and
plant, it is necessary to measure the temperature of the they are released as ashes at ambient temperature.
flue gas before it passes the apparatus for the prevention
of steam condensation outside the chimney (Fig. 1).
Cold Boiler Room Conden-
Boiler Room
Heat Condensation
Prevention Combustion QLR sation
hF QHP Prevention
Combustion Air

Flue Gas
Furnace Condenser hFGo
hFGi +∆hUHV
hCA +h LChem
Condenser Condenser
Furnace Cond.
Boiler
Fuel Pre Heating Heating
PauxB hC PauxC
Condensed Water

Condensed Water
Auxiliary Air

Primary and Secondary Combustion Air Figure 2: Energy flows in a heat plant with flue gas
condensation and apparatus for the prevention
Figure 1: Heat plant with flue gas condensation and of steam condensation outside the chimney.
apparatus for the prevention of steam The energy balance is made with the method of ”cold
condensation outside the chimney. combustion” ( ḣ FGi at Tamb see Sections 3.1 and 3.2).
Efficiency of the heat plant:
2.3 Auxiliary Energy ˙
Q
Auxiliary energy is needed for the operation of the pri- ηP,UHV = HP
˙
∆hUHV + PauxB + PauxC
mary heating system itself and for the operation of the
steam condensation prevention devices. The amount of
auxiliary energy for the heating system depends mainly Overall efficiency of the heat plant and of the heat dis-
on the excess air ratio due to the fans for the combustion tribution system:
air and the flue gas systems. Compared to the heat, typi-
˙ ˙
cally 2% to 3% electrical power are used as primary aux- Q HP − QLD
ηPD,UHV =
iliary power PauxB. ∆h˙ UHV + PauxB + PauxC + PauxD
The system to prevent condensation in the atmosphere
needs additional electrical power PauxC. The requested Heat flow rate from the heat plant:
power for steam prevention increases with decreasing
ambient temperature level for which the system shall ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙
Q HP = ∆hUHV + PauxB + hFGi − (hFGo + hLChem ) − QLR − hC
still prevent condensation outside the chimney. Con-
densation prevention needs one to five times the amount
of electrical power of the primary heating system.
3.2 Chemical Energy of the Wood
The energy of the auxiliary units of the heating system
It is assumed, that the wood is fed after ”cold burning” i n
is usually not lost for the heating system, while the aux-
the furnace at ambient temperature, and that the energy
iliary energy for the condensation prevention is nearly
due to chemical reaction is introduced additionally. With
completely lost.
this procedure the determination of the enthalpy of all
the various chemical components can be avoided.
2.4 Heat Distribution The chemical energy of wood fuel F can be calculated
At the transport to the user, heat is lost to the soil from from its chemical composition with the method of [4].
the heat distribution system Q̇ LD . Pumps are necessary The information about the wood composition of differ-
ent trees can be found in [5]. It is known from experience of the condensed water and of the flue gas are assumed for
that the relation between carbon, nitrogen and oxygen the modelling.
can be described with reasonable accuracy as CH 1.44O 0.66.
Considering this assumption the upper heating value ˙ FG  J 
⋅ (x FG − x sFG ) ⋅ c mW ⋅ TFGo
m
∆h UHV is 19.9*10 6 J/kg Fdry and the lower heating value hC =  
m˙F  kgFdry 
∆h L H V is 18.5*106 J/kg Fdry .
The wood is delivered in the furnace with a certain con-
To determine the enthalpy of the flue gas and the con-
tent of water. The water brings also sensible energy into
densed water accurately, a special Mollier diagram for
the system.
flue gas is necessary. This diagram depends on the ex-
3.3 Enthalpy of the Combustion Air and of the Wood cess air ratio, the pressure in the condenser and on the
after Cold Combustion wood composition. The pressure in the condenser
Depending on the excess air ratio, the temperature and changes the amount of water which the flue gas can carry
the humidity of the combustion air CA and on the humid- as steam. This pressure depends on altitude, on weather
ity of the wood, the flue gas from ”cold combustion” and on differential pressure due to flue gas fans.
contains the following enthalpy: Mollier diagrams for flue gas from wood have been calcu-
lated by the authors.
m˙ m˙ 
hFGi =  FGst ⋅ c pmFG + (λ − 1) ⋅ CAst ⋅ c pmCA  ⋅ Tamb +
 F ˙
m ˙
m F  4. SIMPLIFIED DETERMINATION OF THE
x CA⋅m
( ) [ ]
˙ CA + m˙ WComb EFFICIENCY
⋅ c pmW ⋅Tamb + hV + u⋅cmW ⋅Tamb J / kgFdry
m˙F
Often a quick determination of the efficiency is neces-
˙ FG λ ⋅m
m ˙ CAst + 0.46⋅m
˙F  kgFGdry 
= = 5.92⋅λ + 0.46   sary. Therefore simplified procedures are requested. A
m˙F m˙F  kgFdry  method with an equation and a method with a diagram are
144424443
for CH1.44O0.66 proposed.

The enthalpy of humid air can be determined with e.g. 4.1 Estimation of the Efficiency with a few Plant
the Mollier diagram. Parameters with a Simplified Model
To use more energy from the flue gas, the combustion air With the method of ”cold combustion” the same gas en-
is often preheated and sometimes humidified. The pre- ters and leaves the system. Only the temperature and the
heating and the humidification have positive impacts o n amount of liquid water are different. Therefore the losses
the efficiency. However, these improvements are often of the flue gas and the condensate compared to ambient
not realised due to the high investment costs. conditions are determined.
3.4 Enthalpy of the Flue Gas and the Condensate
m
˙ ˙
m
The gas from the furnace contains flue gas and steam. hLFG =  FGst ⋅ c pmFG + (λ − 1) ⋅ CAst ⋅ c pmCA +
The amount of dry flue gas FG depends on the excess air  m˙F ˙F
m
ratio. The steam consists of the water from the hydrogen 
[ ]
˙ FG
⋅ x sFG ⋅ c pmW + (x FG − x sFG ) ⋅ c mW  ⋅ (TFGo − Tamb )
m
combustion, the water from the wood humidity, and the m˙F 
water from the combustion air.
After the condenser, one fraction of the water is still va- m˙ FG ˙ FGSt
m 
+ ⋅ x sFG − ⋅ x sFGamb  ⋅ ∆h v
pour, the rest is liquid. A small part of the liquid is car- m ˙F m˙F 
ried with the flue gas as small droplets through the
chimney. The rest is collected in the condenser. The coefficients for heat capacity and vaporisation can
Due to the small droplets which are carried with the flue be set constant due to the small possible range of the
gas, energy balances based on the measured mass of wa- flue gas temperature in case of flue gas condensation.
ter which has been collected in the condenser are not ac- However, the mass fraction of water which the flue gas
curate. However, for the energy balance itself it is not can carry as steam depends very much on saturation pres-
important if the liquid water is transported with the flue sure of the water and considerably on the pressure of the
gas or if it is completely collected in the condenser. flue gas. The molecular weight of the flue gas and there-
Therefore it is assumed for the following considerations fore the excess air ratio has also an impact on the mass
that all the liquid is collected in the condenser. fraction of saturated vapour. An equation from [6] which
The saturated flue gas carries the following enthalpy is valid between 0 and 70°C is used for the calculation of
flow: the saturation pressure in the following equation:
m
˙ ˙
m 
hFGo =  FGst ⋅ c pmFG + (λ − 1) ⋅ CAst ⋅ c pmCA  ⋅ TFGo x sFG =
MW
⋅
1 p : [mbar ]
˙
 mF ˙F
m  MFG p T : [°C]
−1
 J  4064.95

( )
˙ FG
m 19.016−
+ x sFG ⋅ ⋅ c pmW ⋅ TFGo + hV   e T + 236.25
m˙F  kgFdry 
MFGst + (λ − 1) ⋅ MCA 2.47
MFG = = 28.97 + for CH1.44 O 0.66
Due to the flue gas temperature below the dew point, the λ λ
condenser releases water. Identical release temperatures
   
  
   
 9' 201' 605 ⋅ λ
 ⋅(TFGo − Tamb ) +
2.07 9' 385' 066
hLFG = 4' 107⋅ 0.62 + u + λ ⋅ 0.59 +1.45⋅x CA − −
  pFG   pFG p amb
−1 −1 −1
  −
4064.95  −
4064.95
19.016−
4064.95
  19.016
TFGo + 236.25  19.016
TFGo + 236.25 Tamb + 236.25
  e   e e
∆h˙ UHV + PauxB − h˙ LFG − h˙ LR − h˙ LChem ∆h˙ UHV + PauxB − h˙ LFG − h˙ LR − h˙ LChem
ηUHVP = ηLHVP =
∆h˙ UHV + PauxB + PauxC ∆h˙ LHV + PauxB + PauxC
4.2 Estimation of the Efficiency with a few Plant plants have to be made with the method presented i n
Parameters from Diagram Chapter 3. The simplified efficiency equations and dia-
Diagrams of efficiency can be drawn if the ambient pres- grams of the Chapter 4. can be used for the monitoring
sure, temperature and humidity is set to certain values of the heat plant efficiency.
and if a certain wood type is assumed.
REFERENCES
p=1013 mbar Tamb=0 °C φamb=1 CH1.44O0.66
1 [1] Jakobsen, H.H. (1991). Flue Gas Condensation of Chip Fired
ηUHV
Boiler at GÌ rding District Heating Plant. Danish Institute of
λ=1
0.95
Forest Technology. Fredriksberg.
λ=2 [2] Good, J. and Nussbaumer, Th. (1993). Wirkungsgradbestim-
λ=3 mung bei Holzfeuerungen. Bundesamt für Energie, Bern.
0.9
u=0 [3] Good, J. and Nussbaumer, Th. (1996). Bestimmung Nenn-
wärmeleistung Holzfeuerung Spital Uster. Verenum. Zürich.
u=0.33
0.85 [4] Boie, W. (1957). Vom Brennstoff zum Rauchgas; Feuerungs-
technisches Rechnen mit Brennstoffkenngrössen und seine
0.8 u=0.66 Vereinfachungen mit Mitteln der Statistik. Teubnen, Leipzig.
[5] Bossel, U. and Gunold, B. (1982). Wärme aus Holz, Holzhei-
0.75 u=1.0 zung in Theorie und Praxis. C. F. Müller, Karlsruhe.
[6] Wexeler, A. (1976). Vapour pressure formulation for water
u=1.33
in the range 0 to 100°C. A revision. J. Res. Nat. Bur. Stand. 80
0.7
A (1976) 775 – 785.

0.65
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 NOMENCLATURE
T [°C]
FG cp m Specific heat capacity of gas J/(kg K)
cm W Specific heat capacity of water J/(kg K)
Figure 3: Efficiency of wood combustion with reference h Enthalpy J/kgFdry
to the upper heating value. Complete combus- ḣ Enthalpy flow rate J/(kgFdry s)
tion of the wood. λ=1, λ=1.5, λ=2, λ=2.5, λ=3 hV Latent heat of vaporisation J/kg
M Molecular weight kg/kmol
p=1013 mbar T =0 °C φ =1 CH O
ṁ Mass flow rate kgdry/s
ηLHV 1.35 amb amb 1.44 0.66
Paux Auxiliary power W/kg Fdry
u=1.33 λ=1 p Pressure mbar
1.3
λ=3 Q̇ Heat flow rate W/(kg Fdry s)
1.25
λ=1
T Temperature °C
u=1.0
λ=3 u Relative wood humidity kgWater/kgdryWood
1.2
u=0.66 λ=1 x Water content, mass fraction kg/kgdryGas
1.15
λ=3 λ Excess air ratio
u=0.33 λ=1 η Efficiency
λ=3
1.1
Indices:
u=0 λ=1
1.05 λ=3 amb ambient C Condensate
CA Combustion air FGi Flue gas in at Tamb
1 FGo Flue gas out F Wood fuel
HP Heat plant LHV Lower heating value
0.95
LChem Losses of chemical energy LD Losses distribution
0.9 LR Losses boiler room P Plant
PD Plant and distribution s Saturated
0.85
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 st Stoichiometric UHV Upper heating value
TFG [°C]

Figure 4: Efficiency of wood combustion with reference

to the lower heating value. Complete combus-
tion of the wood. λ=1, λ=1.5, λ=2, λ=2.5, λ=3
∆hLHV = ∆hUHV − (u + 0.54) ⋅ ∆hv ; ∆hv = 2.5016⋅106 [J / kgF ]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The presented investigation was supported by the Swiss
Federal Office of Energy.
5 . CONCLUSIONS
The conversion efficiency of heat plants with flue gas
condensation depends strongly on the wood humidity,
on the excess air ratio and on the achievable flue gas
temperature. The flue gas temperature depends on return
temperature and on plant design. However, besides oper-
ating conditions and plant technique the impacts of am-
bient conditions have also to be taken into considera-
tion. Due to these impacts the planning of heat plants
has to take into consideration, e.g. the altitude. There-
fore the planning, judgement and the comparison of heat