Comparison of thermal Processes for the Use of Residues from Bioethanol Production and Sugar Production in Brazil Experiments and Optimization Measures

Within the BMBF-funded Brazilian-German cooperation project ASHES, the thermal utilization of bagasse and other residuals from the sugar processing industry was examined. In the laboratory scale, tests were carried out on the KLEAA system of the KIT-ITC to determine relevant fuel parameters. Subsequently, Fraunhofer UMSICHT carried out tests on combustion plants on a technical scale with different plant sizes of 30 kW, 100 kW and 440 kW. The primary objective was to gain knowledge regardimg the combustion and emission behavior of these fuels. Experiments were also carried out at the CUTEC's ArtFuel facility, a gasification unit in the pilot plant scale, and thus gained information regarding the gasification behavior of bagasse and other residuals from sugar cane processing industry. These findings were used to identify optimization potentials at various points and elaborate concepts for their improvement. Within in the next steps of the project future development of these concepts will be focused. In cooperation with the Brazilian project partners several of these concepts should be implemented into practice after the project.