This chapter will highlight the properties of fuels of interest for cogeneration systems and discuss the consequences for the combustion process and the emissions. The fuel properties partly determine the fuel efficiency and the emissions. Also combustion velocity and combustion stability are important issues. Examples of typical fuel properties are the volumetric or mass-based heating value and the minimum specific air requirement for complete combustion. The ignition range and autoignition properties are other properties of interest. Exceeding the fuel quality range for which the process has been tuned can introduce serious safety and performance issues. There is a direct relationship between the fuel composition and the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but also other undesirable combustion end products depend on the fuel composition.

Chapter Contents:

• 6.1 Introduction
• 6.2 Types and properties of fuels
• 6.2.1 Gaseous fuels
• 6.2.1.1 The heating value
• 6.2.1.2 The stoichiometric air requirement
• 6.2.1.3 The Wobbe index
• 6.2.1.4 Further gas specifications
• 6.2.2 Liquid fuels
• 6.2.2.1 Liquid fuels for cogeneration applications
• 6.2.2.2 Typical quality indicators for liquid fuels
• 6.2.3 Solid fuels
• 6.3 Fuel- and combustion-related emissions
• 6.3.1 Greenhouse gas emissions
• 6.3.2 NOx emissions
• 6.3.3 SO2 emissions
• 6.3.4 CO, aldehydes and ash emissions
• Acronyms
• References

Inspec keywords: cogeneration; combustion; air pollution control; ignition

Other keywords: cogeneration systems; ignition range; fuel efficiency; mass-based heating value; combustion process; fuel properties; combustion velocity; fuel quality range; minimum specific air requirement; carbon dioxide emissions; volumetric value; fuel composition; autoignition properties; combustion stability

Subjects: Pollution detection and control; Thermal power stations and plants