The effects of biomass co-gasification and co-firing on the development of combustion dynamics

Effects of wheat straw co-firing with gas (propane flame) and co-gasification/co-combustion with wood pellets on the development of thermo-chemical conversion of biomass pellets and on heat energy production were experimentally studied and analyzed with the aim to improve the gasification/combustion characteristics and the applicability of wheat straw as an alternative energy source for cleaner heat energy production. The results suggest that the wheat straw co-firing with propane provides an enhanced thermal decomposition of pellets with more complete combustion of volatiles increasing thus the heat output at thermo-chemical conversion of wheat straw and the produced heat energy per mass of burned wheat straw pellets. A similar improvement of the combustion characteristics is observed at co-gasification/co-combustion of wheat straw with wood pellets which have a different elemental composition and different heating values. As a result, adding wood to wheat straw pellets activates the thermal decomposition of the mixture and the combustion of volatiles ensuring the faster release, ignition and combustion of volatiles and improving the combustion characteristics thus providing cleaner heat energy production. •Wheat straw co-firing with wood pellets and propane for heat production was used.•Effect of co-firing on the gasification and combustion characteristics was studied.•Cleaner and controllable heat output by co-firing wheat straw was obtained.•Composition of the products by co-firing straw was improved.