NArFU Scientists to Upgrade Arctic Biofuel Boiler Equipment

ARKHANGELSK, September 23. /TASS/. Scientists of the Northern Arctic Federal University (NArFU) will improve equipment of boilers on biofuels operating in the Arctic, the university's press service said, adding the scientists expected to improve the equipment efficiency.

"Scientists of the Lomonosov Northern Arctic Federal University, jointly with the Russian Arctic world-class Scientific Research Center have been working to improve the combustion device for wood pellet boilers," the press service said. "The project's objective is to increase the biofuel efficiency and to cut harmful emissions."

The first stage of the research was at an operating boiler house in the Arkhangelsk Region's village of Shangaly in the Ustyansky District. It consists of four UTK-300 hot water boilers of 300 kW each, and the total installed capacity is 1.2 MW. The specialists studied the equipment operation in various modes, characteristics of the fuel and combustion products, and performed balance experiments. They also conducted a 3D scanning of the furnace device and heat exchange surfaces.

The research results show that the equipment has a significant upgrade potential. With the basic settings, the boilers operate with pronounced cycles, and this leads to changes in energy and environmental parameters. Within some periods, efficiency dropped by almost 20% relative to the operating cycle due to increased heat losses and the fuel's chemical incomplete combustion. According to the project's leader, Anatoly Popov, Director of NArFU's Higher School of Energy, Oil and Gas, one of the key directions is to move from a single-stage to a two-stage combustion scheme.

"At first, the fuel is burned in the combustion chamber, and released combustible gases and incomplete combustion products are burned in a separate zone with secondary air supply," he said. "This reduces heat losses and emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere."

The scientists are also optimizing the air and fuel supply, increasing the combustion chamber volume, improving automation, and installing additional controls. Experiments have shown that the optimal range of oxygen content in the combustion products at the boiler outlet is 6-7%. Scientists pay special attention to environmental indicators. The studies have found increased carbon monoxide emissions in certain operating modes of the equipment. At the same time, the combustion process adjustment allows for significant improvements in performance.

The project's benefits for the Arkhangelsk Region

The project is relevant for the Arkhangelsk Region which has been developing actively the use of local biofuels in municipal energy. The plan is to build 20 biofuel boilers across the region. With improved domestic boiler equipment, the region will be using wood pellets more efficiently, cutting the burden on the environment and expanding the use of local fuel resources.

The work will continue in 2027-2028, as the scientists will design a furnace chamber for a 300 kW fire tube boiler, will make computer modeling and computational studies, will optimize heat exchange surfaces and operating modes. The scientists plan pilot industrial tests of a 1 MW boiler unit.

The work is due to be completed in 2028, and the project's development work will begin. The project's leader expects first industrial designs and their certification by 2030.