Nov 24 2010
LPP Combustion, a pioneer in the field of liquid fuel technology, based in Maryland, Columbia, has introduced the generation of clean renewable electric power, utilizing bio-diesel and bio-ethanol. It has developed a technology, the Lean, Pre-mixed, Pre-vaporized (LPP) technology that would help in converting liquid fuels into a natural gas termed as LPP Gas.
This gas has been employed as a fuel in a commercial capstone 30 kW gas turbine, which has been specifically made for using natural gas. The gas turbine would burn the liquid bio-fuels used, and obtain natural gas performance levels and the emissions that come along with it. This LPP Combustion fuel processing skid has been designed to handle real-time gas turbine operation on liquid fuels without altering the combustion system in any way.
At present, combustion of biofuels inside the gas turbines is carried out by burning the liquids in the form of a spray, which leads to high level of emissions of gases such as CO, NOx and particulates. But the LPP combustion System permits the biofuels to be burnt in such a way as to provide very low levels of emission. The Capstone turbine gives out emissions less than 20 ppm CO; 5% ppm NOx; and 15% of O2 with no particulates. Also no side effects such as auto-ignition, flashback or combustion instabilities have been observed.
These fuels were evaluated over a range consisting of pure alcohol with no water to ethanol with 30% water, with absolutely no effect on performance or gas turbine emissions. Dubay Biofuels supplied the Bio-ethanol. Dubay, a Stratford Wisconsin company manufactures ethanol from waste streams coming from food manufacturers.
The biofuels tested in the turbine were an off-spec form of biodiesel unsuitable for diesel engines, and a Canola-based diesel fuel that matches the ASTM specifications for bio diesel. Both performed like natural gas with low emission rates.
The bio-diesel fuels were supplied by an Ontario company, Northern Biodiesel. According to them, off-spec fuels are less expensive than the conventional bio-diesel fuels, as they can be developed from feedstock variety such as chicken waste and beef tallow.
The LPP Combustion System with its fuel flexibility reduced maintenance levels and improved heat rate, along with a decrease in emissions and ease of installation making it an electrifying and red hot option for utility scale and industrial power markets.