For the developing work the project uses different design tools, models as well as new and modified existing test rigs.
The gasification work has had very intense period, preparing a brand new test facility at RISE in Piteå, Northern Sweden, called Humphrey. The Bio-FlexGen partners have co-operated tightly to engineer, purchase and install all the equipment needed for this 10 m tall, pressurized system that operates at cold conditions. Humphrey will be used to simulate the biomass gasification reactor and study how the particles in the reactor behave at high pressure. In May 2023, commissioning will start and testing will continue until the winter comes. Results are very important to understand what size, shape and flow conditions are needed in the reactor to create the best conditions for gasification.
Great progress has been made to adapt two critical test facilities for the project: a rig called Scarlett at Phoenix Biopower, and a rig called Katniss at TU Berlin. Scarlett is a unique facility where biomass can be gasified, cleaned-up and utilized in a gas turbine combustion system, just like in the BTC power plant, but at smaller scale and atmospheric pressure. Here, a new hydrogen system has been installed, including safety systems and fuel supply. In a next step, this will be utilized to develop ways to use hydrogen during start-up and ramping and show, also for the first time, that the combustor can switch from biomass-based syngas to hydrogen with high stability. Katniss, on the other hand, will be purely focused on combustion, but now at pressures that are more realistic for gas turbines. The same geometries and prototypes developed in the previous simulations and experiments at atmospheric pressure will be used, and the same unique operation with hydrogen will be demonstrated.
An existing test facility at KTH (Stockholm, Sweden) is also being prepared for intense biomass gasification tests at high pressure in a so-called fluidized-bed reactor. Here, the impact of pressure on gasification will be studied when at conditions simulating the full-scale system. In addition, a reforming reactor will be tested, where methane and tars in the syngas are converted to hydrogen and carbon monoxide using steam, a necessary step in the production hydrogen from biomass. A close collaboration between the project and major industry actor, Haldor Topsoe, allows testing of relevant catalysts and conditions.
Last in this comprehensive work, benchtop tests in a specialized instrument are underway at Åbo University (Finland) to study how fast biomass reacts under high pressure. All the results will be used to improve and develop a new, advanced simulation tool that will be used to design and study full-scale gasifiers with. Work on this tool has already commenced, with the first models now being analysed.
The project will also study the integration and adaptability of the BTC technology to the energy system as well as the economic viability for different user cases. Economic feasibility will be quantified for different boundary conditions and future scenarios. A system-wide impact assessment will be performed to consider the benefit for the overall electricity system and heat networks. The project has so far prepared and provided most input data, regulatory and technical requirements and criteria needed for the model developments and analyses that will be done during next period.
To address the performance of the BTC plant, business use cases were defined. The use cases are BTC technology application in district heating system in Sweden and industrial applications in Spain. The technical requirements for the BTC plant were identified and measured considering the performance in different operation modes; 1) the performance of the gasification system and power plant and 2) the performance of the hydrogen production unit. A digitalization strategy for each use case was provided. The work included to gather the requirements that the digital platform design needs to fulfil the needs of the use cases.
To evaluate the contributions and impact of the project a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) was described. Sustainability studies have started by identify main social impact indicators and a literature review was started to assess similar technologies in respect with energy consumption and material inputs. To maximise the impact of the project, ensuring long-term impact and use of outcomes the project has developed and implemented a Communication and Dissemination Strategy for different target groups, with key messages, appropriate communication tools and channels.
