High Temperature Biomass Fired Stirling Engine (HTBS)

Abstract

Biomass is an important resource for the utilisation of renewable energy not only in Germany, but in many other countries. Being sufficient to provide base load it is capable to stabilise electricity grids besides contributing to climate change precaution. Additionally it is essential that the applications for heat, power and fuel feature high conversion efficiencies. There fore the on-site generation of electricity is a crucial contribution to renewable energy supply, especially in real small-scale applications. The project “HTBioStir” - development of a high temperature heat exchanger for the coupling of biomass boiler and Stirling engine - is designed and realized as a fundamental research project focusing on important mechanisms of heat transfer. The basic approach to generate electricity and heat implies the transfer of enthalpy on high temperature levels from the flue gases of a wood chip operated fire tube boiler to the working fluid helium through the heater head of a Stirling engine generator set. Using an indirect heat transfer mechanism, air as the carrier, an innovative heat exchanger with surface structured industrial power tube bundle and upstream a similar recuperative air-preheater by which an α-type SOLO 2V is operated to gene rate electricity. The leaving air at a much lower temperature level serves then as preheated oxidant in the furnace, while the flue gases produce hot water in the boiler. At present measure ment campaigns were carried out to establish energy and mass balances of the fire tube boiler as well as the Stirling engine.