How is water treatment used in biomass energy generation?
Biomass energy production often utilises steam, generated by burning biomass, to drive turbines for electricity generation. However, the quality of water used to produce this steam is crucial, requiring advanced water treatment to prevent issues like turbine fouling.
Water treatment systems in biomass energy plants often include softening, carbon filtration, and reverse osmosis to remove impurities.
Biomass Energy Production and Steam:
- Biomass, such as wood chips, agricultural residues, or waste, is burned to produce heat.
- This heat is used to convert water into high-pressure steam.
- The steam then drives a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.
The Need for Water Treatment:
- High-quality water, particularly with low silica content, is essential for biomass boiler systems.
- Impurities in the water can lead to the formation of mineral deposits (like silica deposits) on turbine blades.
- These deposits can cause imbalances, reduce efficiency, and potentially damage the turbine.
Water Treatment Processes:
- Softening: Removes hardness-causing minerals like calcium and magnesium (read more here https://flowaqua.co.uk/insights/water-softeners-common-problems
- Carbon Filtration: Filters out organic matter and chlorine.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO): Removes a wide range of impurities, including dissolved salts and minerals, achieving a high level of water purity (read more here https://flowaqua.co.uk/insights/reverse-osmosis
- Other Technologies: Depending on the specific water quality and plant requirements, other technologies like deionisation or chemical treatment may also be used.
Biomass Boiler Systems and Water Treatment:
- Some companies offer specialised water treatment chemicals designed for biomass boilers.
- These chemicals can be in solid or liquid form and are designed to optimize system performance and longevity.
- Pretreatment of biomass itself can play a role in reducing the need for extensive water treatment.
- Heat recovery devices like economisers, air heaters, and flue gas dryers can also be integrated into biomass boiler systems to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption for water heating.
