Fluidised-bed combustion of bamboo-like cane

Fluidised-bed combustors achieve significant performance-benefits when burning conventional fuels, yet relatively little attention has been devoted to the use in them of natural bio-fuels. Such materials, as harvested, are characterised by highly-anisotropic shapes, low densities, and large moisture-contents. In the present investigation, the problems associated with the use of a bio-fuel, namely low-density hollow [`]bamboo-like' cane have been assessed. It is concluded that appropriate bed and baffle designs will allow the cane to be entrained in the fluidising bed and to remain immersed therein for periods sufficient to enable complete combustion of the material to occur: no more elaborate pre-treatment than simply chopping the cane into short ( ~ 40 mm) lengths is necessary. Two operating processes have been examined--one in which the energy of the fuel is released within the bed primarily as heat, and a second in which the bed acts as a gasifier, producing both heat as well as a combustible gas for subsequent use.