Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'PCCI combustion'

Controlled Auto Ignition (CAI) combustion is a new combustion principle in internal combustion engines which has in recent years attracted increased attention. In CAI combustion, which combines features of spark ignition (SI) and compression ignition (CI) principles, air/fuel mixture is premixed, as in SI combustion and auto-ignited by piston compression as in CI combustion. Ignition is provided in multiple points, and thus the charge gives a simultaneous energy release. This results in uniform and simultaneous auto-ignition and chemical reaction throughout the whole charge without flame propagation. CAI combustion is controlled by the chemical kinetics of air/fuel mixture with no influence of turbulence. The CAI engine offers benefits in comparison to spark ignited and compression ignited engines in higher efficiency due to elimination of throttling losses at part and idle loads. There is a possibility to use high compression ratios since it is not knock limited, and in significant lower NOx emission (≈90%) and particle matter emission (≈50%), due to much lower combustion temperature and elimination of fuel rich zones. However, there are several disadvantages of the CAI engine that limits its practical application, such as high level of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, high peak pressures, high rates of heat release, reduced power per displacement and difficulties in starting and controlling the engine. Controlling the operation over a wide range of loads and speeds is probably the major difficulty facing CAI engines. Controlling is actually two-components as it consists of auto-ignition phasing and controlling the rates of heat release. As CAI combustion is controlled by chemical kinetics of air/fuel mixture, the auto-ignition timing and heat release rate are determined by the charge properties such as temperature, composition and pressure. Therefore, changes in engine operational parameters or in types of fuel, results in changing of the charge properties. Hence, the auto-ignition timing and the rate of heat release. The Thesis investigates a controlled auto-ignition (CAI) combustion in internal combustion engines suitable for transport applications. The CAI engine environment is simulated by using a single-zone, homogeneous reactor model with a time variable volume according to the slider-crank relationship. The model uses detailed chemical kinetics and distributed heat transfer losses according to Woschini's correlation [1]. The fundamentals of chemical kinetics, and their relationship with combustion related problems are presented. The phenomenology and principles of auto-ignition process itself and its characteristics in CAI combustion are explained. The simulation model for representing CAI engine environment is established and calibrated with respect to the experimental data. The influences of fuel composition on the auto-ignition timing and the rate of heat release in a CAI engine are investigated. The effects of engine parameters on CAI combustion in different engine concepts fuelled with various fuels are analysed. The effects of internal gas recirculation (IEGR) in controlling the auto-ignition timing and the heat release rate in a CAI engine fuelled with different fuels are investigated. The effects of variable valve timings strategy on gas exchange process in CAI engine fuelled with commercial gasoline (95RON) are analysed.

Analisi delle emissioni di inquinanti per combustioni innovative Dual-Fuel e Premixed Charge Compression Ignition (PCCI) operate su un motore Diesel, nel laboratorio di propulsione e macchine della Scuola d'Ingegneria e Architettura con sede a Forlì. Tale studio è stato realizzato in quanto la riduzione delle emissioni e dei consumi sono caratteristiche di primo impatto per la competitività sul mercato di un motore e poiché le emissioni di inquinanti sono regolate da standard europei che ne esigono la continua riduzione. L'obiettivo della ricerca è quello di definire un pattern di combustioni, variando il valore e la sincronizzazione dei parametri delle attuazioni, che consenta la riduzione di inquinanti senza compromettere le prestazioni. Capire come ottenere minori emissioni di inquinanti significa poter far rientrare anche i motori diesel nelle future normative EURO 6 (già definite ed in vigore da Settembre 2014), e di seguire studi paralleli sulla riduzione dei consumi sui quali sono già stati riscontrati risultati positivi.

A injeção de carvão pulverizado na região das ventaneiras dos altos-fornos (Pulverized Coal Injection – PCI) é uma tecnologia amplamente praticada em altos-fornos com o objetivo de substituir parte do coque empregado por carvões não-coqueificáveis. O carvão injetado fornece energia e gases redutores para o processo de fabricação do gusa, além de contribuir para a redução da emissão de gases poluentes devido à menor produção de coque. Atualmente todo o carvão injetado em altos-fornos brasileiros é importado. O país possui grandes reservas de carvão, porém este carvão necessita passar por processos de beneficiamento para redução dos teores de matéria mineral e enxofre. A flexibilidade do processo PCI permite a utilização de ampla gama de carvões não-coqueificáveis, o que abre a possibilidade para utilização de carvão brasileiro. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar propriedades de carvão brasileiro beneficiado com teor de cinzas de 18,9% para injeção em altos-fornos. O estudo foi conduzido através de ensaios de combustão empregando um moderno simulador de PCI projetado e desenvolvido pelo Laboratório de Siderurgia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (LaSid) e também uma termobalança de modo a ser possível traçar um comparativo entre ambos os equipamentos. Além do carvão brasileiro, de baixo rank, foram utilizados dois carvões importados já em uso para injeção, um de alto e um de baixo rank. A combustibilidade (ou eficiência de combustão) em simulador de PCI foi avaliada pela conversão (burnout), calculada pelo método ash tracer, um balanço de massa entre a quantidade de cinzas que entra e sai do reator. Em termobalança o parâmetro adotado foi a temperatura de pico, correspondente à taxa máxima de reação. Fez-se também a avaliação da reatividade ao CO2 dos chars gerados em simulador de PCI, visto que o char ao deixar a zona de combustão passa por uma zona rica neste gás. Análise estatística revelou que a técnica adotada de burnout mostrou-se bastante eficiente para diferenciar carvões de teores de matéria volátil distintos, porém não no caso de carvões com teores de matéria volátil similares. No simulador de PCI a influência da matéria volátil do carvão foi mais pronunciada do que o rank e em termobalança o rank teve mais efeito sobre a combustibilidade do que a matéria volátil. O carvão brasileiro apresentou propriedades comparáveis às do carvão importado de baixo rank utilizado para PCI. Isto representa uma grande vantagem, visto que possibilitaria a utilização do mesmo na siderurgia.
Pulverized coal injection through blast furnace tuyeres (PCI) is a widely practiced technology in blast furnaces to replace part of coke by non-coking coal. Injected coal provides energy and reducing gases for pig iron production process, as well as contributes to reducing pollutants gases emission due to coke saving. Currently all coal injected into Brazilian blast furnaces is imported. The country has large reserves of coal, but this coal needs to undergo beneficiation to reduce mineral matter and sulfur contents. PCI process flexibility allows the employment of a wide range of non-coking coals, which opens the possibility to use Brazilian coal. This work aimed to evaluate properties of Brazilian coal benefited with 18.9% ash content for injection into blast furnaces. The study was conducted through combustion tests employing a modern PCI test rig designed and developed by the Iron and Steelmaking Laboratory (LaSid) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and also a thermobalance in order to draw a comparison between both equipments. In addition to low rank Brazilian coal, two imported coals which are already used for injection were used, one high and one low rank. The combustibility (or combustion efficiency) in a PCI test rig was evaluated by burnout, calculated by the ash tracer method, a mass balance between the amount of ash that enters and leaves the reactor. Peak temperature was the parameter adopted to evaluate combustibility in thermobalance, corresponding to the maximum rate of reaction. It was also evaluated the CO2 reactivity of chars generated in the PCI test rig, since char leaving the combustion zone passes through a CO2 rich area. Statistical analysis revealed that burnout technique proved to be efficient enough to differentiate coals with different volatile matter contents, but not in the case of coals with similar volatile matter contents. In PCI test rig the influence of volatile matter was more pronunced than rank and in thermobalance rank had more effect on combustibility than volatile matter. Brazilian coal showed properties comparable to the ones of imported low rank coal already in use for PCI. This is a great advantage, since it would make it possible to use it in ironmaking.

The PCI technology is well established for reducing the consumption of economic and environmentally expensive coke in blast furnace iron-making. Often, coal blends show unexpected combustion performance which cannot be explained on the basis of individual coal properties particularly coal rank and volatile matter. Several coals were combusted in this study under controlled conditions in a drop tube furnace. Fixed bed reactor, XRD, SEM and BET analyses were used to understand the mechanism of combustion of coal blends. Burnout of the coal blends did not change linearly with volatile matter of blends. The study demonstrated that combustion behaviour of coal blends was influenced by several properties of individual coals and cannot be estimated by using any single coal parameter. Carbon structure of coal as well as the interaction of volatile matter of individual coals was found to have a strong influence on the burnout of coal blends. Pet-cokes were generally found to burn with a greater difficulty. Carbon structure of pet-cokes was found to have a significant effect on the burnout such that coal blends with highly ordered pet-coke indicated lower burnout. The study shows that up to 10% of pet coke did not change the burnout of PCI blends significantly. As far as combustion is concerned, the drop tube furnace test provides a reasonable distinction of the effect of coal properties for PCI application.

The recent pollution norms have brought a strong emphasis on the reduction of diesel engine emissions. Low temperature combustion technology such as premixed compression ignition (PCI) has the capability to significantly and simultaneously reduce nitric oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), thus meeting these specific pollution norms. There has been, however, observed loss in fuel conversion efficiency in some cases. This study analyzes how energy transfer and brake fuel conversion efficiency alter with (or are affected by) injection timings and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate. The study is conducted for PCI combustion for four injection timings of 9°, 12°, 15° and 18° before top dead center (BTDC) and for four exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates of 39%, 40%, 41% and 42%. The data is collected from the experimental apparatus located in General Motors Collaborative Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan. The heat release is calculated to obtain various in-cylinder energy transfers. The brake fuel conversion efficiency decreases with an increase in EGR. The decrease in the brake fuel conversion efficiency is due to the decrease in work output. This decrease is due to an increase in the pumping work and an increase in friction and decrease in gross indicated work. The decrease in the combustion efficiency is because of the increased formation of unburnt products due to increased ignition delay caused by the application of EGR and decreasing air-fuel (A/F) ratio. A definite trend is not obtained for the contribution of heat transfer to the total energy distribution. However the total heat transfer decreases with retardation of injection timing because of decreasing combustion temperature. As the injection timing is retarded, the brake fuel conversion efficiency is found to decrease. This decrease is because of a decrease in net work output. This is because the time available for utilization of the energy released is less because of late combustion. The total heat transfer decreases with retardation of injection timing because of decreasing combustion temperature. The contribution of heat transfer to the total energy distribution decreases with increase in EGR.

O processo de injeção pelas ventaneiras dos altos-fornos (Pulverized Coal Injection - PCI) é uma das tecnologias mais promissoras para a incorporação de biomassas termicamente tratadas na siderurgia e um dos meios de alcançar uma redução consistente nas emissões de CO2 no setor. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a combustibilidade e reatividade ao CO2 de biomassas de madeira e caroço de azeitona tratadas em laboratório desde temperaturas de torrefação (250°C) até de carbonização (450°C) e comparar com carvões típicos utilizados em PCI, correlacionando com as características ocorridas devido aos tratamentos térmicos. Além da caracterização química, as transformações devido aos tratamentos térmicos das biomassas foram avaliadas via testes de combustão em termobalança, técnicas de microscopia ótica e eletrônica, espectroscopia de infravermelho por transformada de Fourier (FTIR) e técnicas de adsorção para análise da porosidade. Testes de combustibilidade foram conduzidos em um forno de queda livre (Drop Tube Furnace - DTF) em atmosferas convencional (O2/N2) e de oxi-combustão (O2/CO2) e os chars resultantes destes testes foram caracterizados quanto à estrutura e à reatividade ao CO2 em termobalança. Além disso, foram feitos testes de reatividade ao CO2 de misturas de eucalipto termicamente tratado e carvões em termobalança. A torrefação manteve o alto teor de voláteis das biomassas, enquanto que as biomassas carbonizadas apresentaram teores de carbono e poder calorífico semelhantes aos dos carvões de mais alto rank, com as vantagens típicas de biomassas de manterem um baixo teor de cinzas e enxofre. No entanto, o elevado teor de álcalis e fósforo nas cinzas pode ser um fator limitante na composição de misturas para PCI. O tratamento térmico das biomassas levou a gradual decomposição dos componentes da madeira com uma progressiva homogeneização da estrutura celular, associada a um aumento de aromaticidade e porosidade. De uma maneira geral, quanto menor foi a temperatura de tratamento térmico das biomassas, maior foi o burnout obtido no DTF. Comparada à atmosfera convencional (O2/N2), a atmosfera de oxicombustão (O2/CO2) levou a maiores burnouts para os chars de todas as biomassas e carvões. As biomassas carbonizadas apresentaram burnouts mais elevados que o carvão de mais baixo rank e o caroço de azeitona carbonizado apresentou baixa conversão, equivalente a um carvão de alto rank. Os chars das biomassas torrefeitas apresentaram estruturas cenosféricas isotrópicas de elevada porosidade nas paredes enquanto que os chars das carbonizadas preservaram a morfologia apresentada nas amostras originais. Os chars das biomassas foram altamente porosos, com áreas superficiais de meso e microporos em média 15 e 5 vezes maior que os chars dos carvões, respectivamente. Com relação aos testes de reatividade ao CO2 em termobalança, em geral, a reatividade dos chars das biomassas torrefeitas foi maior do que a reatividade dos chars das biomassas carbonizadas e estes foram pelo menos 10 vezes mais reativos ao CO2 do que o chars do carvão de mais baixo rank. Além das maiores áreas superficiais, principalmente o ordenamento da estrutura carbonosa e a morfologia foram fundamentais nas diferenças de reatividade ao CO2 entre os chars das biomassas e dos carvões. As misturas do carvão de mais baixo rank com a biomassa carbonizada apresentaram os melhores resultados em termos de aditividade na reatividade ao CO2.
Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI) in the blast furnace tuyeres is a promising technology for incorporation of thermally-treated biomasses and it is a way to reduce CO2 emissions in ironmaking processes. The aim of this work was to evaluate combustibility and CO2 reactivity of laboratory torrefied (250°C) and carbonized (450°) olive stone and woody biomasses, comparing with typical PCI coals. The transformations produced in biomasses due to torrefaction and carbonization were evaluated by chemical analyses, combustion tests in thermobalance, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical and electron microscopy and adsorption techniques. Combustion experiments were carried out in a Drop Tube Furnace (DTF) under conventional (O2/N2) and oxy-fuel (O2/CO2) atmospheres and the chars collected were characterized by its structure and CO2 reactivity in thermobalance. Reactivity tests were also conducted in thermobalance with blends of thermally-treated eucalyptus and coals. Torrefied samples maintained high contents of volatile matter, typical of raw biomasses, while carbonized biomasses showed carbon contents and high heating values similar to that of high rank coals, retaining low ash and sulfur contents. However, its high alkali and phosphorus contents could be a limiting factor to the use in blends for PCI. The thermal treatments of biomasses lead to a gradual decomposition of wood components and to a progressive homogenization of cell structure, associated to an increase in aromaticity and porosity. In general, the lower the thermal treatment temperature, the higher was the burnout in the DTF. Compared to conventional atmosphere, oxy-fuel combustion led to the highest burnouts for all biomass chars. The carbonized biomasses showed higher burnouts than the high-volatile coal and olive stone showed burnouts similar to a low-volatile coal. The chars from the torrefied biomasses showed isotropic cenospheric structures with high porosity within the walls and the chars from the carbonized biomasses preserved the morphology seen in original carbonized samples. The biomass chars presented highly porosity, with micro and mesoporosity in average, 5 and 15 times greater than the coal chars, respectively. In relation to the CO2 reactivity tests, in general, the torrefied biomass chars were more reactive than the carbonized biomass chars. However, due to its higher surface areas, structure arrangement and morphology, the carbonized biomass chars were at least 10 times more reactive than the high-volatile coal chars. The blends of high-volatile coal and carbonized eucalyptus showed good additivity in the CO2 reactivity tests in thermobalance.

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The accelerated industrial development of recent decades has been touted as one of the most impacting factors on the environmental imbalance. For this reason, research has been developed aiming, among other objectives, the reuse of waste generated by industrial processes as raw materials or inputs in other processes. This study aims to investigate the viability of using waste generated by the combustion of coal in power plants as an additive in the production of gypsum parts for construction. Coal combustion products (CCP) are already being applied in the construction industry as an additive in concrete, but their use in gypsum masses is very limited, which motivated the current reseach project. Initially the influence of water by varying the addition on mass in 5 levels between 10 and 50% was evaluated in order choose the best ratio water / gypsum about the mechanical properties. The materials used were characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy X-ray (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The production process used for making the specimens was the so-called UCOS (portuguese acronym for the initials of wetting, compaction and drying), with pressure of 10 MPa. Then, test pieces were prepared with incorporation of PCC to the mass of gypsum in 5 levels between 10 and 50% to analyze the influence of these additions on mechanical properties, which was evaluated by compression tests, hardness and three point bending. The results determined that the water/gypsum (a/g) that provides the best mechanical properties is 0.2, which is used in the evaluation stage of the specimens with addition of PCC. It was concluded that, in general, increasing the incorporation of the waste was damaging to the mechanical properties of the gypsum block. Nonetheless, the studied conditions meet the requirements of NBR 13207, except for the condition with incorporation of 50% of PCC. In general, the mechanical properties behaved in similarly conditions between 10 and 20% of PCC, but the evolution from 20 to 30% caused a significant decrease in the results. Thus, it is concluded that the condition of 20% PCC in plaster and ratio a/g 0,2 meets the standard, ensures recycling of waste and, due to the pressing process, has better mechanical strength compared to the usual products.
O acelerado desenvolvimento industrial das ultimas dÃcadas tem sido apontado como um dos fatores mais impactantes sobre o desequilÃbrio ambiental. Por esse motivo, pesquisas vÃm sendo desenvolvidas visando o reaproveitamento dos resÃduos gerados pelos processos produtivos industriais como matÃrias-primas ou insumos em outros processos. Este trabalho objetiva investigar a viabilidade de se utilizar um resÃduo gerado pela combustÃo de carvÃo mineral em usinas termoelÃtricas como aditivo na produÃÃo de peÃas de gesso para a construÃÃo civil. Este produto da combustÃo de carvÃo (PCC) jà vem sendo aplicado nas indÃstrias de construÃÃo civil como aditivo em cimento, porÃm sua utilizaÃÃo em massas de gesso à bastante restrita. Inicialmente foi avaliada a influÃncia da Ãgua pela variaÃÃo da sua adiÃÃo à massa de gesso em 5 nÃveis entre 10 e 50%, visando escolha da melhor relaÃÃo Ãgua/gesso quanto Ãs propriedades mecÃnicas. Os materiais utilizados foram caracterizados por espectroscopia de fluorescÃncia de raios-X (FRX), difraÃÃo de raios-X (DRX), espectroscopia de absorÃÃo no infravermelho por transformada de Fourier (FTIR) e de energia dispersiva de raios-X (EDS) e microscopia eletrÃnica de varredura (MEV).O processo produtivo utilizado para confecÃÃo dos corpos de prova foi o de Umedecimento, CompactaÃÃo e Secagem (UCOS), com pressÃo de 10 MPa. Em seguida, foram confeccionados corpos de prova com incorporaÃÃo de PCC à massa de gesso em 5 nÃveis, entre 10 e 50% com a finalidade de analisar a influÃncia dessas adiÃÃes sobre as propriedades mecÃnicas, o que foi avaliado por ensaios de compressÃo, dureza e flexÃo em trÃs pontos. Os resultados obtidos determinaram que a relaÃÃo Ãgua/gesso (a/g) que fornece as melhores propriedades mecÃnicas à a de 0,2, sendo esta utilizada na etapa de avaliaÃÃo dos corpos de prova com incorporaÃÃo de PCC. Concluiu-se que, em geral, a crescente incorporaÃÃo do resÃduo foi danosa Ãs propriedades mecÃnicas do bloco de gesso. NÃo obstante, as condiÃÃes estudadas atendem Ãs exigÃncias da NBR 13207, exceto a condiÃÃo com incorporaÃÃo de 50% de PCC. Em geral, as propriedades mecÃnicas se comportaram de forma semelhante entre as condiÃÃes com 10 e 20% de PCC, sendo que a evoluÃÃo de 20 para 30% gerou queda significativa nos resultados de resistÃncia mecÃnica. Com isso, conclui-se que a condiÃÃo de 20% de PCC em gesso e relaÃÃo a/g de 0,2 atende à norma, permite o reaproveitamento de resÃduos e, graÃas ao processo de prensagem, apresenta melhor resistÃncia mecÃnica comparada aos produtos usuais.

Selective Exhaust Gas Recirculation (S-EGR) consists of selectively transferring CO2 from the exhaust gas stream of a gas-fired power plant into the air stream entering the gas turbine compressor. Unlike in “non-selective” Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology, recirculation of, principally, nitrogen does not occur, and the gas turbine still operates with a large excess of air. Two configurations are proposed: one with the CO2 transfer system operating in parallel to the post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) unit; the other with the CO2 transfer system operating downstream of, and in series to, the PCC unit. S-EGR allows for higher CO2 concentrations in the flue gas of approximately 13-14 vol%, compared to 6.6 vol% with EGR at 35% recirculation ratio. The oxygen levels in the combustor are approximately 19 vol%, well above the minimum limit of 16 vol% with 35% EGR reported in literature. At these operating conditions, process model simulations show that the current class of gas turbine engines can operate without a significant deviation in the compressor and the turbine performance from the design conditions. Compressor inlet temperature and CO2 concentration in the working fluid are critical parameters in the assessment of the effect on the gas turbine net power output and efficiency. A higher turbine exhaust temperature allows the generation of additional steam which results in a marginal increase in the combined cycle net power output of 5% and 2% in the investigated configurations with S-EGR in parallel and S-EGR in series, respectively. With aqueous monoethanolamine scrubbing technology, S-EGR leads to operation and cost benefits. S-EGR in parallel operating at 70% recirculation, 97% selective CO2 transfer efficiency and 96% PCC efficiency results in a reduction of 46% in packing volume and 5% in specific reboiler duty, compared to air-based combustion CCGT with PCC, and of 10% in packing volume and 2% in specific reboiler duty, compared to 35% EGR. S-EGR in series operating at 95% selective CO2 transfer efficiency and 32% PCC efficiency results in a reduction of 64% in packing volume and 7% in specific reboiler duty, compared to air-based, and of 40% in packing volume and 4% in specific reboiler duty, compared to 35% EGR. An analysis of key performance indicators for selective CO2 transfer proposes physical adsorption in rotary wheel systems as an alternative to selective CO2 membrane systems. A conceptual design assessment with two commercially available adsorbent materials, activated carbon and Zeolite X13, shows that it is possible to regenerate the adsorbent with air at near ambient temperature and pressure. Yet, a significant step change in adsorbent materials is necessary to design rotary adsorption systems with dimensions comparable to the largest rotary gas/gas heat exchanger used in coal-fired power plants, i.e. approximately 24 m diameter and 2 m height. An optimisation study provides guidelines on the equilibrium parameters for the development of materials. Finally, a technical feasibility study of configuration options with rotary gas/gas heat exchangers shows that cooling water demand around the post-combustion CO2 capture system can be drastically reduced using dry cooling systems where gas/gas heat exchangers use ambient air as the cooling fluid. Hybrid cooling configurations reduce cooling and process water demand in the direct contact cooler of a wet cooling system by 67% and 35% respectively, and dry cooling configurations eliminate the use of process and cooling water and achieve adequate gas temperature entering the absorber.

A tecnologia de injeção de carvão pulverizado nas ventaneiras dos altos-fornos (PCI) é utilizada por siderúrgicas integradas no mundo inteiro visando a redução do consumo de coque e, consequentemente, a redução das emissões de CO2 e do custo do gusa. Como o Brasil é o maior produtor mundial de ferro- gusa em altos-fornos a carvão vegetal, torna-se grande o interesse pelo aproveitamento dos finos de biomassa gerados no processamento de carvão vegetal, a chamada moinha. Uma boa alternativa para aproveitamento dessa biomassa seria sua injeção em altos-fornos a coque. A alta combustibilidade é essencial para um carvão destinado à injeção, pois reduz a formação de char (carvão incombusto). Devido à dificuldade de queima completa na zona de combustão, o carvão a ser injetado deve gerar um char altamente reativo ao CO2, para que seja consumido na cuba do alto-forno, gerando gases termorredutores. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a combustibilidade e a reatividade ao CO2 de carvões e misturas binárias de finos de carvão vegetal com carvões fósseis visando PCI. O estudo se deu através de análise termogravimétrica (TGA). Foram utilizados três carvões fósseis de diferentes procedências e ranks para a formulação das misturas. Os carvões foram cominuídos abaixo de 90 μm, uma granulometria típica de injeção. Inicialmente fez-se uma avaliação da combustibilidade e da reatividade ao CO2 dos finos de carvão vegetal com o intuito de estabelecer a granulometria adequada para as misturas. Foi observado que basta o carvão vegetal estar em granulometria inferior a 1 mm para serem alcançados resultados superiores de combustibilidade e reatividade em relação aos carvões fósseis abaixo de 90 μm. A elaboração das misturas binárias foi feita, portanto, pela adição de carvão vegetal abaixo de 1 mm aos carvões fósseis abaixo de 90 μm. A elaboração das misturas binárias foi feita, portanto, pela adição de carvão vegetal abaixo de 1 mm aos carvões fósseis abaixo de 90 μm. As proporções testadas foram 10, 20 e 50% em massa de carvão vegetal. As misturas apresentaram um aumento de combustibilidade e de reatividade ao CO2 em relação aos carvões fósseis individuais. Além disso, considerando-se a composição química dos carvões em estudo em termos de teor de cinzas, matéria volátil, enxofre e poder calorífico, pode-se considerar que misturas binárias entre os carvões fósseis deste trabalho e moinha de carvão vegetal seriam satisfatórias para PCI nas proporções avaliadas.
The technology of pulverized coal injection into the blast furnace tuyeres (PCI) is used by integrated steel mills worldwide in order to reduce the consumption of coke and thereby the reduction CO2 emissions and the cost of pig iron. As Brazil is the world’s largest producer of pig iron in charcoal-based blast furnaces, it becomes great interest in the use of fine biomass generated during charcoal processing. A good alternative for harnessing this biomass would be the injection into coke-based blast furnaces. The high combustibility is essential for a coal to injection. Moreover, the char (unburnt coal) generated should be highly reactive to CO2, so that it is possible its consumption in the stack of the blast furnace, generating gas for iron ore reduction. This work aimed to evaluate the combustibility and reactivity to CO2 of binary blends of charcoal fines and coals with purpose to PCI. The study was carried out by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Three coals from different sources and ranks were used to the formulation of the blends. The coals were ground and sieved to a size less than 90 μm diameter. At first were done an assessment of combustibility and reactivity to CO2 of fines charcoal in order to set the suitable particle size to the blends. It was observed that charcoal less than 1 mm is enough to achieve superior results to those found in the coals below 90 μm. The proportions tested were 10, 20 e 50% by mass of charcoal. The blends showed an increase in combustibility and reactivity of its chars in relation to individual coals. Furthermore, considering the chemical of coals under study in terms of ash, volatile matter, sulfur and calorific value it can be considered that binary blends between the coals and charcoal of this work would be satisfactory to PCI in the proportions evaluated.

Dans ce travail, une configuration laminaire stratifiée est utilisée afin d’étudier les caractéristiques de la pyrolyse et de l’oxydation du charbon pulvérisé dans un mélange de flux réactif à la fois dans les conditions atmosphériques conventionnelles et dans des conditions de combustion enrichie en oxygène. Deux diagnostics optiques, la spectroscopie d’émission de flamme et la mesure de l’émission spontanée sont utilisés pour caractériser la structure de la flamme. Les profiles de concentration de trois radicaux excités, OH*, CH* and C*2 sont mesurés et analysés.Des simulations 1-D utilisant la cinétique détaillée y compris des sous-mécanismes de OH*, CH* and C*2 et de combustion de charbon sont effectuées et comparées avec des données expérimentales. La comparaison qualitative a montré que la configuration numérique actuelle était appropriée pour la prédiction des émissions de OH*, CH* and C*2. Les résultats prédits par l’approche numérique diffèrent avec les modifications apportées aux sous-modèles de charbon et aux paramètres cinétiques. Le modèle de pyrolyse et les matières volatiles semblent jouer des rôles plus importants
In the present work, a laboratory-scale laminar strained configuration is used to investigate the characteristics of pulverized coal devolatilization and oxidation in a mixture of CH4/O2/N2 reactive flow both in conventional air conditions and in oxygen-enriched combustion conditions. Two optical diagnostics, Flame Emission Spectroscopy and measurement of spontaneous emission, are employed for the characterization of flame structure. The spatial concentration evolution of three excited radicals, OH*, CH*and C*2 , are measured and analyzed.1-D simulations using detailed gas-phase kinetics including OH*, CH*, and C*2 sub-mechanisms and coal combustion submodels are performed and compared with experimental data. Qualitative comparison with experiments showed that the current numerical configuration was suitable for the prediction of OH*, CH* and C*2 emission. The predicted results differed with changes to the coal sub-models and kinetic parameters. The devolatilization model and volatile matters seem to play more important roles

Doutoramento em Sociologia Económica e das Organizações
2009 foi declarado pela União Europeia o ano da criatividade e da inovação . Esta decisão foi orientada pela ideia de que a criatividade e a inovação contribuem para a prosperidade económica tanto quanto para o bem-estar social e individual. Um dos objectivos desta iniciativa é disseminar boas práticas que estimulem a educação e a investigação, e promover políticas de debate com assuntos que lhe estejam relacionados. Todavia, o desfecho da presente dissertação não poderia ter um cenário mais adequado. O incremento do estádio Português de inovação tem sido francamente salutar na primeira década deste milénio. Verifica-se a emergência de um importante nicho no sector de empresas tecnológicas. O saldo da balança tecnológica Portuguesa - as exportações de tecnologia foram superiores às importações - foi positivo, pela primeira vez, nos anos de 2007 e 2008. O trabalho que se apresenta descreve, em tom de louvor, quatro boas práticas Portuguesas que representam um pouco da história da inovação nacional, e que contribuíram - de certa forma - para este cenário. Estas organizações nasceram entre as décadas de 1980 e 2000, tendo sido consideradas pioneiras nos seus projectos de acção. Os trabalhos de investigação tiveram como ponto de partida inspiracional os contributos de Berger e Luckmann (1967), sobre a construção social da realidade; e do grupo MIRP (Minnesota Innovation Research Program - Van de Ven et al, 2000; 1999; 1993; 1990, 1986), sobre os processos de inovação e a sua gestão. Neste sentido, os objectivos propostos nesta análise agregam-se em três conjuntos: i) construir um modelo de análise para as práticas de inovação em contexto organizacional, ii) trilhar uma estratégia metodológica que permita o estudo da inovação como um processo de construção social dos seus actores, e iii) apresentar um conjunto de práticas, através da identificação de determinantes críticos de sucesso que possam, eventualmente, servir de roadmap para todos os que se interessam pelas problemáticas da inovação (investigadores, professores, estudantes, líderes, gestores, consultores). Neste contexto, o caminho metodológico empreendido foi o estudo de caso, seguindo as recomendações de Yin (1994) e de Eisenhardt (1989). Foram circunscritas boas práticas de inovação de organizações Portuguesas de base tecnológica e analisadas à luz do modelo C.R.A.N.I.O. Este modelo, como já se adiantou, foi gerado a partir de uma extensa revisão de literatura, e pretendeu analisar os processos sociais de inovação em contexto organizacional, via a interpretação colectiva dos seus actores e através de um processo de combustão accionado pela organização. Foi concebido como instrumento de recolha de dados e, simultaneamente, como um importante recurso na análise dos mesmos. Isto contribuiu, para que face à potencial simetria e flexibilidade interpretativa (Smith-Doerr et al., 2004; Bloor, 1991; Martin, 1991; Bijker, 1995; Callon, 1980) a que estão sujeitos os fenómenos de construção social, fosse possível uma análise integrativa dos estudos de caso. Por conseguinte, os principais resultados deste trabalho emergem sob as formas: i) teórica - é proposto um modelo de análise para a construção social da inovação, emergindo um novo conceito de inovação e isolando-se as suas dimensões; ii) metodológica - via as aprendizagens expostas à operacionalização do design metodológico; e iii) práticas - são apresentadas acções concretas de actores emblemáticos de inovação.
European Union declared 2009 the year for creativity and innovation. This event is driven by the idea that creativity and innovation contribute to economic prosperity as well as to social and individual wellbeing. The goals of this initiative are: i) to raise awareness of the importance of creativity and innovation for personal, social and economic development; and ii) to disseminate good practices to stimulate education and research, and to promote policy debate on related issues. The level of Portuguese innovation has been quite healthy in the first decade of this millennium. There is the emergence of an important niche in technology companies. For the first time in 2007 and 2008 the Portuguese technologic balance was positive - technologic exports were higher than imports. Current work describes - in tone of praise - four good practices of innovative organizations, which illustrate the course of national history of innovation. They were born between the 1980 and 2000, and they were considered pioneers in their projects of action. The current research was inspired by the work of Berger and Luckmann (1967), namely by their notion of the social construction of reality; and from the work of the MIRP group (Minnesota Innovation Research Program - Van de Ven et al, 2000; 1999; 1993; 1990, 1986), on the processes of innovation and its management. The aims of the current work are: i) to build a model of analysis for the innovation practices in organizational context; ii) to develop a methodological strategy that allows to create a path for the innovation studies as a process of social construction of their actors; and iii) to present a set of practices, by identifying critical determinants of success which may serve as a roadmap for all those interested in innovation (researchers, teachers, students, leaders, managers, consultants). The methodology was the case study, following the recommendations of Yin (1994) and Eisenhardt (1989). Innovation practices of Portuguese technology-based organizations were identified and examined according to the model of analysis - C.R.A.N.I.O. This model was generated from an extensive review of literature and intends to examine the social processes of innovation in organizational context via collective interpretation of their actors and through a combustion process, triggered by organizations. It was designed as a tool for collecting data as well as for their analysis. This strategy contributed to address the potential symmetry and interpretative flexibility (Smith-Doerr et al., 2004; Bloor, 1991, Martin, 1991; Bijker, 1995, Callon, 1980) that constrain the phenomenon of social construction; and it also allows an integrated analysis of case studies. The main results of this study are shown at three levels: i) theoretical - a new model of analysis for the social construction of innovation is presented, and a new concept of innovation is put forward; ii) methodological - via learning expositions through the operationalization of the methodology design; iii) practical - symbolic actions of innovation actors are presented.

L’énergie solaire concentrée est utilisée comme source de chaleur dans le but de mener des réactions de pyrolyse de la biomasse. Cela permet d’améliorer l’énergie contenue dans la matière première en stockant l’énergie solaire sous une forme chimique. Grâce à de hautes températures et à des vitesses de chauffe élevées, d’avantage de gaz pyrolytiques, avec un produit calorifique inférieur (PCI) élevé, peuvent être produit par la pyrolyse solaire directe.Les expériences effectuées dans ce travail montrent l’effet des paramètres de la pyrolyse solaire sur les quantités de produits, leur composition et leurs propriétés. Le PCI total des gaz augmente fortement (il est multiplié par 5) lorsque la température augmente (de 600°C à 1200°C), et lorsque la vitesse de chauffe augmente (de 5°C/s à 50°C/s. L’association de la température et de la vitesse de chauffe amplifie leurs effets lorsqu’ils sont tous deux à de hautes valeurs. Le charbon et le goudron collectés ont été analysés et caractérisés. Le facteur d’augmentation énergétique obtenu est d’environ 1.5 quelle que soit la température. Dans un second temps, un modèle non linéaire, en deux dimensions, et utilisant la CFD pour résoudre les bilans de masse et de chaleur, a été développé pour la pyrolyse solaire. Les coefficients stœchiométriques, déterminant la fraction massique du goudron primaire convertie par la réaction en gaz et en goudron secondaire, ont été déterminés à différentes températures et à différentes vitesses de chauffe. Les évolutions des produits finaux et des pertes de masse de la biomasse sont amplifiées par la température et par la vitesse de chauffe
Concentrated solar energy provides heat to drive biomass pyrolysis reactions, which upgrades the feedstock energy by storing solar energy in chemical forms (bio-gas, bio-oil and bio-char). Thanks to high temperature and fast heating rate, more pyrolytic gas with high lower heating value (LHV) can be produced by direct solar pyrolysis. Experiments have highlighted the effect of solar pyrolysis parameters on products yields, composition and properties. The total gas LHV dramatically increases (5-fold) with increasing temperature (from 600°C to 1200°C) and sample heating rate (from 5°C/s to 50°C/s), which is mainly due to variations in the CO and H2 yields. The interaction between temperature and heating rate enhances at both high ranges. The maximum gas products LHV (14 589 kJ/kg of beech wood) was obtained at 2000°C and 450°C/s heating rate. The collected char and tar were analyzed and characterized, which emphasizes the temperature and heating rate effects. And the energy upgrade factor is determined as about 1.5 independent of temperature. At the same time, a 2D unsteady CFD particle model (simplified assumption using first-order Arrhenius type reactions) with heat and mass transfers was developed for solar pyrolysis. Numerical model predictions are in good agreement with experimental observations. Stoichiometric coefficients about the mass fraction of primary tar converted by the reaction to gas and secondary tar were determined at different temperatures and heating rates for the first time. The evolution of the final products and mass losses of biomass are enhanced with temperature and heating rate increase

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2004.
Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-127).

Although products of coal combustion (PCCs) such as coal ash are currently exempted from classification as a hazardous waste in the United States under the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now revising a proposed rule to modify disposal practices for these materials in order to prevent contamination of ground- and surface water sources by leached trace elements. This paper analyzes several aspects of EPA’s scientific reasoning for instating the rule, with the intent of answering the following questions: 1) Are EPA’s cited values for PCC production and disposal accurate estimates of annual totals?; 2) In what ways can EPA’s leaching risk modeling assessment be improved?; 3) What is the total quantity of trace elements contained within all PCCs disposed annually?; and 4) What would be the potential costs and feasibility of reclassifying PCCs not under RCRA, but under existing NRC regulations as low-level radioactive waste (LLRW)? Among the results of my calculations, I found that although EPA estimates for annual PCC disposal are 20% larger than industry statistics, these latter values appear to be closer to reality. Second, EPA appears to have significantly underestimated historical PCC disposal: my projections indicate that EPA’s maximum estimate for the quantity of fly ash landfilled within the past 90 years was likely met by production in the last 30 years alone, if not less. Finally, my analysis indicates that while PCCs may potentially meet the criteria for reclassification as low-level radioactive waste by NRC, the cost of such regulation would be many times that of the EPA June proposed disposal rule ($220-302 billion for PCCs disposed in 2008 alone, versus $1.47 billion per year for the Subtitle C option and $236-587 million for Subtitle D regulatory options).
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