Environmentally friendly energy production from biofuels

At Frichs we think of the environment. Therefore, we have collaborated with Solenia SA and KSW Bioenergie started a development project that focuses on environmentally friendly energy production from biofuels.

The starting point for the development work is a desire to produce electricity and heat with a conventional motor / generator setup, which is optimized to run on a variety of bio-fuels.

Solenia SA specializes in gasification technology, and has over the years accumulated considerable knowledge about thermal gasification of biofuels. KSW Bioenergie has for years worked with many types of liquid biofuels, and handling them. They include patent for a treatment plant for palm oil, makes the oil more suitable for engine operation.

At Frichs we are a group of experienced engine builders and technicians through many years of working with respectively diesel and gas engines, possess considerable knowledge resources in engine construction, operation optimization and installation. Frichs has in its product range a medium-speed heavy duty diesel engine of its own manufacture, which forms the foundation for energy production.

The goal is to develop a modular system of between 500-750 kW, which is driven by a combination of gasification gas and liquid biofuel. Such a dual-fuel solution offers the great advantage that there is no need for conventional spark plugs, since the gas that is the primary fuel, ignited by the liquid fuel.

The first tests have shown good results when driving on palm oil, which is a difficult biofuel use, as it requires a high temperature before it is sufficiently liquid for injection into the engine. We have to run around 100 hour test run and consumed about 5000 liters of oil in our test stand in Horsens, and have achieved excellent results.

In Italy, it is prepared first gasification plant, where everything from slaughterhouse waste, wood and poultry manure can be converted to a combustible gas which is suitable for engine operation. During 2009, expected the first dual-fuel engine to be delivered to the demonstration plant in Italy, after which the actual operating experience will drive further development.

One of the possible areas of use of biofuel that has great potential, is the electrification of remote regions of the third world, for example Africa. There are a number of plants with a very high oil content, which Jatropha seems most promising. The nuts from this plant has a number of unique properties that make Jatropha highly suitable as an energy crop. Jatropha can grow on marginal land, so it does not displace food crops on good soils. The growth rate is high and the yield is high. Moreover attacked the plant by any known diseases.

As the price and availability of fuel are often drag on a local distributor, the Jatropha an ideal opportunity for producing fuel locally. Growing energy crops like Jatropha could create new sources of income for local farmers and ensure sustainable development in society, thanks to a stable and environmentally friendly electricity. Follow the continued development here.