Experimental investigation on combustion and heat transfer characteristics in a furnace fueled with unconventional biomass fuels (date stones and palm stalks)

• Published in: Energy conversion and management Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 778 - 790
• Main Author: Al-Omari, S.-A.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biofuels; Biomass; Combustion; Combustion of solid fuels; Combustion. Flame; Conical fuel bed; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Heat transfer; Natural energy; Solid fuels; Theoretical studies. Data and constants. Metering; Combustion; Conical fuel bed; Biofuels; Heat transfer; Solid fuels; Renewable energy; Fuel; Biofuel; Biomass; Experimental study; Furnace; Vegetal waste
• ISSN: 0196-8904; 1879-2227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2005.06.012

The combustion of date stones and palm stalks in a small scale furnace with a conical solid fuel bed is investigated experimentally. This investigation (to the best of the knowledge of the author) is the first addressing date stones as a new renewable energy source. Different experimental conditions are investigated where different fuel feed conditions and different combustion air flow rates are considered. The major results are given in terms of the fuel reduction rates and the heat transferred to the cooling water flowing in a water jacket around the furnace as functions of time. Combustion of the biomass fuels considered here in the investigated furnace is initiated by using LPG fuel as a starter. The hot products of LPG combustion, which is taking place in a burner built prior to the investigated solid fuel furnace, are allowed to penetrate the conical fuel bed for 2–3 min from its bottom base in the upward direction, causing effective heating and gasification and pyrolysis of the solid fuel in the bed to take place. The resulting combustible gases mix with the combustion air and subsequently are ignited by an external ignition source. The results of the present study highlight date stones as a renewable energy source with a good potential.