Thermal Engineering Laboratory

The Thermal Engineering Laboratory is equipped with several rigs and test facilities for doing research within thermal processes for energy conversion:

Multi-fuel reactor

The multi-fuel reactor is a small scale reactor (inner dimensions: D=10cm, H=100cm) designed for fundamental studies of pyrolysis, gasification and combustion of biomass and waste materials. The reactor has 5 separate heating sections and can be operated as a macro-TGA, fixed and fluidized bed reactor.

Gasification test rig

The gasification test rig is a small scale downdraft unit with a capacity of 30 kW th. The design of the rig is flexible and includes several optional levels for oxidiser supply and the use of air/steam and oxygen as gasification agents. The instrumentation includes measurements of pressure, temperature and volume flows.

Wood stove and fireplace testing facility

The wood stove and fireplace testing facility is used for research and development to obtain new and improved measuring methods, testing new concept, validate combustion and heat transfer models, and improving technology for stoves and fireplaces.

Fluid bed combustion rig

The fluid bed combustion rig has a capacity of 250 kW th. The FB unit can be used for characterisation of the combustion properties, like reactivity of coal and char, and emission parameters of different solid and liquid fuels.

Exhaust particle removal facility (Panel Bed filter)

The exhaust particle removal facility is a new alternative for particle removal. The filter is based on the use of sand and other granu­lated material as a filtration medium. The filter material is insensi­tive to hot particles, temperature fluctu­ations and corrosive elements in the flue gas.

Fouling rig

The fouling rig is used for hot testing of fouling on tubes in heat exchangers.

The laboratory is well equipped with several analysers used for standard and more advanced charac­teri­sation of biomass and waste components, such as: Thermo­gravimetric Analyser (TGA); Differential Scanning Calori­meter (DSC); Bomb calorimeter; Ash melting microscope.

Regular analyses performed include:

  • Proximate analysis
  • Heating value
  • Elemental composition (C, H, N, S, Cl)
  • Ash melting point
  • Devolatilisation and reactivity kinetics
  • Specific heat capacity and heat of reaction, fusion