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UNIQUE ONLINE TOOL is a computational tool developed to help potential users to evaluate technical and economic advantages of the UNIQUE technology.
Main components (simulation software - IPSEpro package of SIMTECH Graz, Austria):
- a) process flowsheet;
- b) UNIQUE economic evaluator (available for BFB process).
On the basis of different input conditions, the user can evaluate technological performances of the main fluidized bed technologies:
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dual fluidized bed gasification process (DFB): steam is used as fluidization agent in the gasification reactor and the necessary heat for the endothermic reactions is transferred through a circulating hot bed material coming from a second fluidized bed reactor where the bed material was heated up by the combustion of the residual char. This process, also known as fast internally circulating fluidized bed (FICFB) process, has been successfully implemented in Gussing, Austria.
Note: the evaluation of FICFB technology performances (biomass: wood chips) is available under the link:
PSWeb_Flow_Sheet_UNIQUE
- bubbling fluidized bed process (BFB): in this case, both oxygen and steam are used as gasification agents, heat for the endothermic reactions being obtained by partial combustion of biomass. An internally circulating fluidized bed gasifier (based on steam/oxygen gasification) available at Trisaia research centre of ENEA has been modified to become the prototype of UNIQUE technology.
For this technology, two process flowsheets - both incorporating UNIQUE cleaning system (UCS) and UNIQUE economic evaluator (EC) - has been developed:
- Gasifier – UCS – Gas engine (biomass – almond shells):
PSWeb_UNIQUE_GE
- Gasifier – UCS – Gas Engine – Organic Rankine Cycle (biomass: almond shells):
PSWeb_UNIQUE_GE_ORC
In order to RUN a case, the user must supply first its own data in “User_input” and “EC_inputs” tables followed by the run of the case (“calculate” button).
At the moment, for both fluidization technologies, biofuels have been limited to the types tested at industrial scale (FICFB -wood chips) and pilot scale (BFB - almond shells).
UNIQUE ECONOMIC EVALUATOR structure:
- 1. Total investment costs are evaluated on the basis of biomass fuel power. Input data:
- Biomass: type, feed rate and humidity;
- Investment tuning factor. In view of accounting for local investment conditions, the user has the possibility to adjust the total investment costs by a tuning factor. Default value “1” should be chosen for the countries where local costs (labor, land, etc.) are important. On the other side, total investment cost incorporated in the economic evaluation is calculated as for the 5th plant to be built (around 15% lower that the prototype cost). The cost of a “base case” (BCpower) has been initially evaluated: scale up to a different fuel power is based on the fuel powers ratio: (NewPlant/RefPlant)^0.74.
- 2. Operating costs evaluation is based on plant annual operating hours (electricity and heat), biomass fuel costs, personnel and other (auxiliary) costs. Inputs:
- Annual operating hours;
- Number of personnel and average annual cost per employee;
- Dry biomass fuel cost;
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3. Annual cash flows estimation relies on the subsequent information:
- Feed-in tariffs for electricity;
- Green certificates revenues;
- Heat revenues
- Financing plan:
- Depreciation time;
- Terms and conditions of investment financing: debt, equity funds or other sources (UE aid, local aid, country aid);
- debt interest rate, cost escalation and inflation.
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4. Output table details:
- cash inflows, outflows, profit and details about inflows and outflows structure for the first year of operation;
- cash inflows, outflows and profit for the economic life of the unit.
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