Experimental determination thermo physical characteristics of balled biomass

The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation conducted to determine the permeability coefficients and the stagnant thermal conductivity i.e. the thermo physical properties deemed to be the most important features of the bed material when considering combustion in pusher-type furnaces (i.e. combustion of biomass bales in cigar burners). The appropriate experimental methods have been developed and suitable experimental apparatus designed and constructed in order to determine permeability and stagnant thermal conductivity coefficient of the soybean straw bales. The experimental investigation conducted was aimed at examining the effects of relevant biomass bale parameters on the aforementioned coefficients. Based on the numerous measurements performed, correlations were obtained that are deemed highly important for optimization of the biomass bale combustion, as well as for modeling the transport phenomena occurring in the porous bed formed during biomass bales combustion in cigar burners. Data collected during the course of research investigation were used to develop a detailed CFD model of straw bales combustion in cigar burners. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved