Steam Accumulator Integration for Increasing Energy Utilisation of Solid Biomass-Fuelled CHP Plants in Industrial Applications

Abstract

Process steam, which shows a wide scope of utilization in various industrial processes, is currently predominantly generated by fossil fuels. An instant measure in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is, therefore, to substitute fossil fuel-based steam production by biomass combustion plants in Combined Heat and Power (CHP) operation. Because of the typically discontinuous steam demand, CHP steam turbines, however, are facing various operational challenges. In this context, a steam accumulator enables decoupling of generation and demand. Using a thermodynamic simulation model based on MATLAB/Simulink, the optimization potential for the plant operation to meet the different operational requirements is demonstrated.