Scarica - Corsi di Laurea Ingegneria Meccanica

Università degli Studi di
Napoli Federico II
Corso di Laurea magistrale
Ingegneria Meccanica per
l’Energia e l’Ambiente
Facoltà di Ingegneria
(Laurea Magistrale in Ingegneria Meccanica per l’Energia e l’Ambiente )
(CLASSE DELLE LAUREE MAGISTRALI IN INGEGNERIA MECCANICA – Classe N. LM33)
Tesi di Laurea
EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF A BIOMASS GASIFICATION PLANT COUPLED WITH AN
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FOR POWER GENERATION.
ECONOMIC VIABILITY ANALYSIS BY HOMER ENERGY SIMULATOR
Relatori:
Ch.mo Prof. Ing. Massimo Dentice d’ Accadia
Candidato:
Lina Montuori
DETEC - Dip. di Energetica, Termofluidodinamica applicata e
Condizionamenti Ambientali
matr. M65/182
Correlatore:
Ch.mo Prof. Ing. Carlos Afranio Vargas Salgado
Institute for Energy Engineering of Valencia
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV)
Ch.mo Prof. Ing. Manuel Alcazar Ortega
DIE- Department of Electrical Engineering
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV)
SOMMARIO DELLA TESI
This research work is focused on the design, improvement and utilization of a biomass gasification plant for power
generation. It is part of the “International Project for the Sustainable Energy in Developing Countries”, funded by the
Generalitat Valenciana (Spain), which allowed the implementation of this system created by LabDER (Laboratory of
Renewable Energy) of the Institute for Energy Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, in an isolated
area in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The thesis includes two approaches: experimental and economic. The
experimental part analyzes a downdraft fixed-bed gasifier for power generation. In particular, the influence of the
variables governing the process of gasification (geometric, thermodynamic and electric parameters) has been analyzed.
Regarding the economic evaluation, a feasibility analysis has been performed by means of the micro-power
optimization model HOMER Energy. The obtained results allow to estimate for each one of the driving variables of the
gasification process the most appropriate values to keep the whole plant in optimum working order. In particular,
changes in the section of the throat, as well as in the water and gas circuits have demonstrate significant improvements,
which have been properly evaluated and assessed. In fact, an increment in the generation of electric power of 22% has
been achieved. Similarly, the economic analysis demonstrates how the use of gas produced from biomass is the most
profitable solution for isolated systems which are not connected to the grid, especially for distances greater than two
kilometers.
Anno Accademico 2011/2012