Within the FP7 project SIMWOOD attention has been addressed to the evaluation on innovative strategies and opportunities for increasing the use of wood logging residues in Latvia for energy utilities. The contributions of expertise from academy and energy planners from Sweden (i.e. Linnæus University and Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden) and Germany (i.e. Bavarian State Forest Institute) will be the key to initiate a new discussion toward concrete opportunities in Latvia for higher fuelwood gathering from clear cutting areas in environmentally conscious, profitable and technically possible ways. The presentation of “best practice examples” from Sweden will provide a clearer picture about the effects of implemented strategies and incentive mechanisms.

The main aim of the project is to promote and potentially enhance a better and more optimized use of the forest wood residues both from economic and environmental perspectives in order to be an appropriate and feasible solution in Latvia.

Tree workshops have been organized to identify opportunities and challenges regarding the wood logging residues mobilization mostly addressed for the DH sector in order to: increase the amount of wood-based fuels in Latvia, ensure better and more rational use of the Latvian forest as resource, create an economic and environmental added value, and assess the socio-political opportunity for such a change.

In specific the forthcoming workshop of the 24th of January will provide an insight about bioenergy within the Swedish Forestry Model and will also open the discussion about the overall profitability and sustainability of using forest residues within the bioenergy sector in Latvia.

Latvia has a lot of forest resources. Today’s issue about sustainable forest resources use is becoming more topical. Are forest resources (wood, woodchips, pellets, offcut, etc.), which are burnt in furnace and boiler furnace are future solution? Is it sustainable? What are current solution in Swedish municipalities? This is only smart part of the issues which will be discussed in the seminar.

PROGRAM

Project is performed with the support from the financial instrument of the European Economic Zone.
Technical solution of the project is developed in cooperation with SIA “MRK Serviss”.
Project activities were completed on April 30, 2016.

Research

The main principle of biomass gasification process is the transformation of the solid fuel into gaseous products. The gasification process itself is partial oxidation of biomass at a high temperature (usually approximately 700-1500°C) with a limited access of air. As a result of the process biomass is transformed into easily flammable mixture of gases – synthesis gas (called syngas or generator gas). This gas can be used similarly to the natural gas, for instance, as fuel in gas engines, in turbines for production of electric and heat power, at boilers and for production of chemical raw materials (methanol).
While performing the project, technological equipment was formed for the needs of experimental research of the biomass gasification process with an aim to obtain a more efficient solution, if compared to the gasifiers currently available on the market.
The technological process of equipment is planned for the obtaining of syngas with a higher hydrogen content. This was ensured by dividing the primary air flow into two or three parts, and letting it into special gasification zones. In order to increase the combustion temperature of syngas, the air was let into the gasifier at three places.
The technological idea is based on the experimental measurements of gasifier, the results of which are summarized in table 1. Results of the first test show syngas composition by operating the gasifier with the primary air. At the second test the air flow was divided into the primary (85%) and secondary (15%). At the third test air flow was divided into the primary (85%), secondary (10%) and tertiary (5%). The principal schemes of gasifier are demonstrated in Picture 1.

Figure 1. Downdraft gasifier with three air inlets
Designations: 1 – fuel inlet; 2 – primary air, 3 – grates, 4 – syngas outlet; 5 – coke and ash outlet; 6 – secondary air, and 7 – tertiary air.

Results

Experimental research results of the developed innovative biomass gasification technology suggest, that technology operates effectively, and allows substituting the use of imported natural gas with local renewable resources. The performed measurements show that the developed innovative biomass gasification technology operates successfully, and produces syngas with a relatively high combusting heat 7.3 MJ. This is achieved due to the high amount of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane into the produced syngas.
By using this syngas formation process at the energy sector, the amount and concentration of hydrogen (flammable gas with the highest combusting heat) in syngas. This is a positive benefit for both energy producers (higher quality of syngas) and syngas users (reduction in size of energy equipment).