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Analytical method to determine the potential of using rice husk for off grid electricity and heat generation


A. Ame-Oko
B. A. Adegboye
J. Tsado

Abstract

This work develops an analytical method of determining the captive Combined Heat and Power (CHP) potential of the rice husk produced at the rice mills. Technologies whose commercial efficacy has been established for generating electricity and heat from rice husk were analysed using sets of thermo-chemical and thermodynamics equations to determine their CHP potential for the same amount of input rice husk. Four power plants were considered: boiler steam turbine combination labelled Plant A, gasifier - boiler - s team turbine combination labelled Plant B, gasifier - gas turbine combination labelled Plant C and gasifier - Internal Combustion engine combination labelled Plant D. Results from the analysis shows that 4.85 kg, 6.82 kg, 0.87 kg, and 0.97 kg are required to produce a kilowatt-hour of electricity by plants A, B, C and D respectively; while the heat co - generation potential of the plants A, B, C and D obtained are 10,051.09 MJ/hr,  7,136.24 MJ/hr, 4,182.95 MJ/hr and 6,604.67 MJ/hr respectively. Hence, a gasifier - gas turbine CHP plant is the most viable means of utilizing rice husk for off grid CHP generation while a gasifier - boiler steam turbine CHP plant is the least viable.

 Keywords: rice husk ash, renewable energy, heat generation, CHP, gasifier - gas turbine CHP


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eISSN: 2467-8821
print ISSN: 0331-8443