AUTHOR=Vamvuka Despina , Loukeris Dimitrios , Stamou Evaggelos , Vlasiadis Aristotelis , Sfakiotakis Stelios , Bandelis Grigorios 

TITLE=Development and Performance of a Multi-Fuel Residential Boiler Burning Agricultural Residues

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Energy Research

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/energy-research/articles/10.3389/fenrg.2020.00136

DOI=10.3389/fenrg.2020.00136

ISSN=2296-598X

ABSTRACT=The combustion behaviour of selected agricultural residues (olive and peach kernels, almond and walnut shells) and their blends was investigated in a prototype low-investment combustion unit of nominal capacity 65kWth. Blending ratio varied up to 50%. Flue gas temperatures, inlet and outlet water temperatures of the boiler and gaseous emissions were measured at specific feed and air flow rates and combustion and boiler efficiencies were determined. CO and NOx emissions from all fuels during the whole operation of the unit were below legislation limits, while SO2 emissions were negligible. Combustion efficiencies were satisfactory, ranging between 84 and 86%. Peach kernels burned with the highest efficiency. By blending olive kernels with peach kernels, almond or walnut shells at percentages up to 50%, the overall efficiency of the system in terms of emissions and degree of combustion was improved. The best performance was achieved by olive kernels/peach kernels 50:50 blend.