FACTOR ANALYSIS FOR BIOMASS COMBUSTION IN BUBBLING FLUIDIZED BED BOILER

Abstract

This paper focus on factor analysis for biomass combustion in a bubbling fluidized bed boiler. Considering low cost and available types of fuel, this study applies to the proportion of wood chip: rice husk:  fiber: sawdust of 8:6:1:1. The regression found factors that affect the high pressure steam production and percent excess oxygen are moisture content, fuel feed rate, air feed rate, boiler pressure and boiler temperature. Using best subset regression method for high pressure steam production and stepwise regression method for excess percentage of oxygen, R – Squared Adjusted: (R²adj) of high pressure steam production and excess percentage of oxygen were 95.01% and 71.65% respectively. Then the optimal operating condition were explored using response surface methodology. With the best operating condition, high pressure stream production rate increased from 39.96 kg/s to 43.24 kg/s, which is an increase of 8.20% and the fuel cost of steam generation can be reduce from 580.77 baht/ton-steam to 572.94 baht/ton-steam, which is a decrease by 1.35%. Finally, the company can save 9.66 billion baht per year.