Air turbine - An interesting solution for straw energy conversion into electricity

Abstract

Straw is a non-hazardous by-product of crop plants processing. Currently, it represent one of the most important biomass resource. The huge quantities of straw annually produced generate big problems in what concerns their disposal. The traditional field burning is no longer accepted, so another disposal solutions must be found and recycling is the most attractive. The paper refers to such a solution consisting in the conversion of the straw energy potential into electricity in a power plant based on an air turbine. This power system it is in fact an external combustion engine, derived from a gas turbine engine and operating with air as working fluid instead of combustion gases. In order to make possible the use of straw as fuel, the conventional combustion chamber is substituted by a hot air generator. Schematic of this power system and the results of its energetic analysis are presented in the paper. There are analysed the main performance indicators, namely thermal efficiency, output power, fuel consumption and specific fuel consumption. The results of the study indicate the analysed power system as an interesting solution for straw recycling.