Particle-resolved experiments for clean solid fuel combustion

The search for environmentally friendly energy production solutions requires new ideas to solve problems such as the temporal fluctuations of renewable energy sources and the long distances between generation and consumption. The use of chemical energy carriers, especially solid fuels, plays an important role in this process. (opens in new tab) To enable the transition to greener energy production, a detailed understanding of the combustion of solids at the laboratory scale is needed.

A new review article by Tao Li , Christopher Geschwindner , Andreas Dreizler and Benjamin Böhm in the journal Measurement Science and Technology summarizes the current state of research on this topic. The focus is on advances in the application of particle-resolving optical diagnostics to study solid fuel combustion at the microscopic level. This includes experiments on the combustion of coal and biomass in oxy-fuel atmospheres and on the use of iron in regenerative oxidation-reduction processes.

The article classifies the investigations in the literature according to fuel type, reactor type and investigated parameters and presents examples of individual, pioneering investigations. Important measurement parameters are number density, particle size and shape, surface temperature, ignition and burnout times, structure of gas flames, gas temperature, formation of nanoparticles, gas velocity and particle dynamics.

Difficulties and research gaps in the study of solid fuel combustion are highlighted based on the current state of research, and future experimental needs are outlined. The article provides a comprehensive insight into clean power generation by solid fuel combustion and the importance of particle-resolving optical diagnostics.