Cofiring Assessment of Hydrothermally-treated Empty Fruit Bunch and Low Rank Coal in a Drop Tube Furnace

Abstract

Abstract Currently there is an effort to reduce operating cost, increase the use of renewable energy and improve energy security by fuel-switching technique in existing boiler. The main objective of this study is to investigate the Cofiring behaviour of hydrothermally-treated empty fruit bunch (HT-EFB) and coal in the existing coal power plant. The research was conducted in a drop tube furnace (DTF) through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The key performance parameters such as temperature distribution, fluid flow velocity, concentration of produced gases (CO 2 , CO, SO 2 and NO) were evaluated under various HT-EFB mass fractions: 0%, 10%, 25% and 50%. The results indicate that hydrothermal treatment process prior to the combustion is required to improve EFB quality as fuel. HT-EFB can enhance the ignition characteristics of low rank coal due to high volatile matter content in HT-EFB. Higher HT-EFB mass fraction increases the combustion temperature, therefore influences the fluid velocity. The cofiring can reduce both CO 2 and SO 2 amounts during combustion.