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A Biomass-Fired Grain Dryer

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A Biomass-Fired Grain Dryer A biomass-fired grain dryer : system design, construction and performance by Mark Anthony Little A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering Montana State University © Copyright by Mark Anthony Little (1984) Abstract: Alternative sources of low-grade energy are becoming more important as the costs of energy from nonrenewable resources rise. Agricultural biomass is a nonrenewable source of low-grade energy that could be used as a heat source, replacing propane fuel for crop drying and space heating. Fuel oil, electricity, and natural gas usage could also be reduced by supplemental heating with biomass-fired heat units. A project supported by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation was undertaken by the Southern Agricultural Research Center (SARC) and the Department of Agricultural Engineering at Montana State University to investigate the feasibility of using agricultural residue from crops raised in Montana to dry perishable grains. The project consisted of construction and testing of a commercially available biomass-fired corn dryer. A direct-fired incinerator-type biomass furnace was constructed, operated, and performance evaluated to determine overall heat conversion efficiency and economics of operation. A computer-aided simulation model of the biomass burner was developed to help determine performance of the burner at conditions other than those tested. Design and operation recommendations were made based upon actual system operation and output from the simulation model of the burner. A BIOMASS-FIRED GSAIB DRYER: SYSTEM DESIGl9 COBSTRUCTIOl AID PERFORMAlCE by Mark Anthony Little A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana July 1984 APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by Mark Anthony Little This thesis has been read by each member of the thesis committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citations, bibliographic style, and consistency, and is ready for submission to the College of Graduate Studies. Date Chairperson, Graduate Committee Approved for the Major Department Head, Major Department Approved for the College of Graduate Studies 7 - ? cS Date Graduate Dean iii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the require­ ments for a master's degree at Montana State University, I agree that the Library shall make it available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Permission for extensive quotation from or reproduction of this thesis may be granted by my major professor, or in his absence, by the Director of Libraries when, in the opinion of either, the proposed use of the material is for scholarly purposes. Any copying or use of the material in this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Signature iv TABLE OF COlTEiTS Page APPROVAL....... ............ ii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE iii TABLE OF CONTENTS..-...... iv LIST OF TABLES............... vii LIST OF FIGURES..... ......... ix ABSTRACT I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION.... ....... I Introduction........................ I Purpose..... ............ I Scope..... ................. I Objective............. Related Research.'........ Gasifier Systems.....i. Direct-Fired Systems... Montana Based Fuel Sources Cord Wood ............. Cereal Straw...... Corn Cobs And Stover... Wood Chips....................................... 7 2. SYSTEM DESIGN............ ................ ............... 8 Selection Criteria................... 8 Furnace Selection Criteria.... ....................... 8 Selection Of Commercially Available Biomass Burner Unit............... 8 Biomass Feed System Selection Criteria....... ........ 10 Drying System Criteria......... ........ ......... 11 Air Handling System Design............... .............. 13 Drying Air Temperature Rise........... ............... 13 Air Flow Rate And Pressure Drop............ .......... 13 Drying Tank Design...... ....................... 15 Area Of Perforated Floor........ .......... 15 Batch Volume............. 16 Drying Time...... ............... ............. ......... 16 Additional Equipment For Grain Handling And Storage.... 18 V TABLE OF COBTEETS— Continued Page 3 . SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION.............. 19 Site Selection And Preparation............................ 19 Biomass Burner Unit Assembly................ ............. 20 Concrete Work....................... ..... ................ 22 Steel Erection............................... 22 Electrical System............................... 22 4. SYSTEM OPERATION... ................................ 23 Overview of Burner Operation....................... ....... 23 Material Flow Of Biomass............... ................ 23 Grain Corn Material Flow..... ............................ 26 Air Flow....... 28 Fuel Considerations........... .................... ....... 30 Biomass Fuel Heating Value............................. .; 30 Biomass Fuel Use Rate................................... 30 Electrical Power Requirements.......... 31 System Performance And Data Collection Methods.......... 32 Biomass Moisture Content................ 32 Corn Moisture Content........ 32 Biomass Burner Heat Unit........ 34 Economic Considerations....... .................. 36 Capital Costs Of Heat Unit, Feeder System, And Collection System..... ................ ................... 36 Biomass Fuel Costs................................. ... 37 Electricity Costs.............................. 37 Labor Costs............................................. 37 Cost Analysis of BiomassBurner Unit..................... 38 Cost Analysis of Biomass Collection...................... 39 5. PERFORMANCE MODELLING OF THE BIOMASSBURNER SYSTEM.......... 40 Simulation And SLAM.... .................... .......... 40 System Boundaries And Dynamic Representation............. 41 Model Development .......... .................... ....' 42 Initial Parameters........................ 42 Moisture Input................ 45 Heat Input................................ 46 Fuel Feed Rate....................... 46 Burner Efficiency..................... 49 Output Variables........................ 51 Drying Potential.......... 52 Model Evaluation........................ 52 Input Parameter.......... 52 Model Output.............. 53 Model Comparison To Actual System Performance........ 54 vi TABT.K OF COBTEBTS— Continued Page 6. DISCUSSION... ....................... 56 Background............ -................................. 56 System Design....................... 56 Construction.......... ..................... ............ 56 System Performance......................... 57 Effect Of Ambient Air Temperatures............ ....... 57 Cold Weather Moisture Removal From Corn.............. 58 Biomass Equivalence To Hydrocarbon Fuel............. 58 Using Barley Straw For Fuel..................... 59 Fuel Moisture Content.............................. .. 60 Limiting Factors........... 61 Mechanical Aspects Of Furnace And Feeder Operation.... 62 Efficiency.................. 63 Performance Modelling............................. 64 Recommendations For Future Work.... ......... 65 7 . SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.............. 66 Summary............................................ 66 Conclusions..................... 67 8. BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................... 69 9. APPENDICES..... ................ 73 I Time use efficiency when harvesting stover in addition to corn. November 1983....... 74 II Corn cob and stover collection data................. 75 III Corn collection data................... 76 IV Biomass fuel moisture content determination......... 77 V Biomass burner performance data.............. 79 VI Corn moisture content determination................. 84 VII Results of simulation runs.... ...................... 92 VIII Data summary for some successful biomass-fired furnace - corn dryer runs........................... 94 IX Summary of the variables used in the simulation program....... .............. ....................... 95 X Listings of the programs used in conduction with SLAM for the performance modelling of the biomass burner system.................. 96 vii LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1. Biomass fuel usage in three furnace runs for drying corn... 31 2. Electrical power requirements............................. 32 3. Biomass furnace batch operation information, March 1984.... 35 4. Capital costs for biomass burner system................... 36 5. Operation costs of biomass vs propane.................. ... 38 6. System limits.................. ................. ......... 53 7. Results of sensitivity analysis........................... 54 8. Field operation times in minutes.... ..................... 74 9. Corn cob and stover collection data for representative days during 1983 corn harvest................................... 75 10. Corn collection data for 1983 corn harvest....... ......... ,76 11. Data for determination of corn cob and stover moisture content. November 1983....... .................... ....... 77 12. Data for determination of corn cob and stover moisture content. March 1984.............. 78 13. Biomass burner performance data. March 1984. Batch I cooling cycle................. 79 14. Biomass burner performance data. March 1984. Batch I drying cycle.....
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