A new concept for direct combustion of wood in a gas turbine is presently developed and tested in Sweden. The process is based on a fuel rich cyclone gasifier/separator and a direct coupled modified standard gas turbine combustor. A main concern is the behaviour of ash forming elements in the turbine. A picture of this can be obtained with chemical equilibrium calculations.
The objective of the present work was to determine the equilibrium speciation of the ash forming elements from wood passing through the turbine of a gas turbine engine for varying feed characteristics and operating conditions. In addition, the differences between using only stoichiometric and using non-ideal solution models as thermodynamic input data were illustrated.
The equilibrium relationships at the turbine stage were evaluated in a parametric study, utilizing statistical experimental designs to systematically perform the model calculations. A wide range of operating conditions, wood compositions and cyclone elemental retention efficiencies were thereby covered.
The results show considerable variation in the alkali speciation as well as in devolitalization and condensation temperatures, depending on the elemental composition. Plots of the effects of the most influential variables are presented and results not directly displayed in this work are illustrated with model equations provided.
