Projects

HOTGASYS

Compact hot gas clean-up system for particulate removal

 
Title of Programme
THE FOURTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME - JOULE-THERMIE III
R&D tasks in advanced cycles
Cost-sharing contracts
Financing Code for Project
JOF3CT970047
Project start year - end year 1998 - 2000
Financing organisation
EUROPEAN COMMISSION RESEARCH
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL
 
 
Coordinator Notox International A/S
 
Other partners
 
Ceramics and Refractories Technological Development Company S.A. (CERECO)
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Ceramiques Techniques et Industriells S.A. (CTI)
Aerosol and Particle Technology Laboratory (APTL)
 
Budget / APTL Budget 1.980.000,00€ / 360.000,00€
Scientific Manager / Project researcher A. G. Konstandopoulos 
Project website http://cordis.europa.eu/
Summary description
Advanced power generation cycles from solid fuels can contribute significantly to future European energy security and require particle-clean combustion/gasification product gases at high temperatures in order to achieve at the same time significant energy efficiency and environmental benefits. 
State-of-the-art hot gas particle clean-up technology is typically based on ceramic candle filters (rigid and soft), and to a lesser extent on smaller, one piece honeycomb cross-flow filters The technology is still in a stage far from providing reliable and cost-effective particulate removal from hot gases Major problems areas involve: mechanical failure due to ash particle bridging, filter thermal stability and materials compatibility issues, system price due to high candle filter weight and manufacturing cost and appreciable pressure drop, to name a few. 
The objective of the proposed research is to develop a compact hot gas particulate clean-up system by integrating three specifically tailored, advanced high temperature ceramic materials (Silicon Carbide, high strength Cordierite and Aluminum Titanate) into a novel, and cost-effective filter design, so as to overcome problems with current candle technology. 
The system to be developed will have the following characteristics compared to a similarly sized candle-based system:
  1. Considerable increase in mechanical strength
  2. Higher operating temperature
  3. Considerably lower pressure drop with filtration efficiency as high as 99.998% 
  4. Half the system weight for the same volume 
  5. More than double the filtration surface to volume ratio 
  6. Considerably reduced system price 
  7. No foreign patent dominance 
The proposed hot gas filter system consists of a filter vessel having a gas inlet and outlet section, a filter cleaning device (adapted from commercially available systems) and a filter unit consisting of an assembled honeycomb structure. The filter unit is constructed combining individual filter elements to create an assembled holleycomb structure with the following distinct advantages over competing, candle as well as one piece honeycomb (monolithic & cross flow) filters: 
  1. No thermal cracks over the unit structure's cross section 2. Mechanical stress is not transferred to neighbouring elements 3. Large quantity manufacturing is made possible 
  2. Large variations in sizes are possible 
  3. Vibrational stability 
  4. Improved tolerance to load transients 
  5. Compact and low weight design 
The consortium spanning the European continent (four countries), consists of three SMEs with significant patented expertise in porous ceramic material development for combustion aftertreatment (catalyst supports, particle filters, etc.), a group from a well established research institute specializing in particle technology & combustion aerosols, a major University with extensice expertise in ceramics processing & characterization and an advanced cycle power plant manufacturer participating as an associated partner to closely monitor the project and provide much needed guidance and technical advice for tailoring the system to his requirements before proceeding to a Phase-II Industrial Testing and Demonstration project.