Optimising Flue Gas Filtration Assets in the UK Energy from Waste Sector

The research project aims to help Durham Filtration (DF) address challenges related to controlling emissions from waste-to-energy and biomass combustion plants in the UK. These plants are crucial for the UK energy and waste management infrastructure, but they produce tiny and harmful particles that are hard to control. Tighter emission regulations require improving existing technologies while keeping the plants efficient. This research project has several objectives:

Predicting Filter Failures: The project will create a toolkit that predicts when filtration systems in these plants might fail or identifies the best operating conditions. It will use data from specialized sensors installed in operational plants. This toolkit will help plant owners make informed decisions and take corrective actions when needed.

Experimental Analysis: Researchers will conduct experiments in a controlled combustion test facility at DF's Jarrow facility. They will study how different fuel blends used in waste-to-energy and biomass plants produce particulate matter. This controlled environment allows them to focus on specific fuel blend issues that can't be studied in full-scale plants. The findings will guide DF in designing solutions for the industry.

New Products and Services: The project aims to develop innovative products or services to address common problems in these plants. One example is a sorbent distribution nozzle to improve the mixing of sorbents in flue gas treatment. Researchers will design, prototype, validate, and help commercialize such solutions.

Improved Testing Standards: The team will work on creating better methods and standards for assessing the "health" of filters in these plants. They'll update outdated testing standards to reflect modern practices and provide more meaningful information to plant operators. This involves building a database of real-world data and using models to predict filter performance.

Advanced Simulation: The project will enhance the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate filter systems at different scales, from micro to plant-level. This will allow for a better understanding of how filters work and how to optimize their design. CFD will also be used to simulate the cleaning systems for filters, leading to more efficient plant operation.

Overall, this research project aims to improve the performance and environmental impact of waste-to-energy and biomass combustion plants. It will provide practical tools, innovative solutions, and better testing standards to support the industry's efforts in reducing CO2 emissions and managing waste effectively.