Researchers at Battelle have successfully integrated a gas turbine with a biomass gasification pilot plant, creating the first known operation of a turbine with biomass-derived gas.

Mark Paisley, Battelle's program manager, said the demonstration is significant because sawdust, bark, wood wastes, and other forms of renewable resources can be efficiently and economically converted into electricity.

The tests, which were funded by the Department of Energy's Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., were conducted at Battelle's laboratory in West Jefferson, Ohio. Battelle has been working on the biomass gasification project since the late 1970s.

Biomass gasification is the conversion of renewable resources, such as wood, crop residue, lawn scraps, residue from food manufacturing processes, or energy crops into a gas that can be used for fuels, chemical production, or power.

Biomass fuels have the potential to make a significant impact on the nation's energy supplies by reducing our dependance on foreign oil. Biomass crops grown on "energy plantations" can provide sustainable supplies of economical, environmentally attractive, renewable energy.

At the Battelle pilot plant, researchers daily fed up to 10 tons of wood into a gasifier with a mixture of steam and hot sand. Gas was produced from the wood, removed from the gasifier, scrubbed, and used to fuel the gas turbine, which is similar to a jet engine.

After the gas is produced from the wood, it leaves the gasifier with the sand and a small amount of charred wood. The sand is captured and recycled into the gasifier. The charred wood is captured and sent to a combustor and burned to reheat the sand, make steam for the gasifier, or dry wet wood.

"There are big advantages to being able to generate power in this manner," Paisley said. "First, biomass is a completely renewable fuel source. Farmers, manufacturers who use agricultural products, and municipalities are always going to have biomass wastes on hand, like corn stalks, crops residues, wood wastes, and other biomass produced from a variety of sources.

"Also, the use of biomass fuel makes it possible to produce electric power without adding additional carbon dioxide to the environment."

Paisley said using the gas produced by the gasifier is more efficient than directly burning the wood because the process takes advantage of the high reactivity of biomass.

Paisley said researchers also are experimenting with using shredded municipal waste in the gasifier.

Battelle's exclusive licensee for the process, Future Energy Resources Corp. of Atlanta, has entered into contract for a commercial-sized scale-up of the process at the McNeil Generating Station in Burlington, Vt.

Companies that have contributed to Battelle's research and biomass tests and are interested in commercial applications for the process through Future Energy Resources include Centerior Energy of Cleveland; Sauder Woodworking of Archbold, Ohio; Weyerhaeuser of Tacoma, Wash.; and Solar Turbines of San Diego.

For more information, contact Battelle, 505 King Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43201-2693; telephone (614) 424-4958, email solutions@battelle.org.

Battelle serves industry and government by developing, commercializing, and managing technology. With a wide range of scientific and technical capabilities, Battelle puts technology to work for clients in 30 countries.