Technical Study of Biomass and Coal Characteristics in Co-Firing of Steam Power Plants (PLTU)
Keywords:
Co-Firing, Biomass, Sawdust, woodchipAbstract
This study aims to analyze the technical characteristics of sawdust and woodchip biomass in the application of co-firing technology in a Steam Power Plant (PLTU). Co-firing is a promising energy transition strategy, by mixing biomass into a coal combustion system to reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. However, challenges such as high water content and low energy density in biomass require in-depth characterization studies. This study uses a non-experimental approach and secondary data from the co-firing technical trial report at the Labuhan Angin PLTU. Data were analyzed descriptively-quantitatively to evaluate combustion performance, emissions, and the potential for fouling and slagging due to biomass characteristics. The results show that the use of sawdust in a mixture of up to 5% can reduce coal consumption from 55.0 tons/hour to 51.4 tons/hour, without reducing power output, and producing the most efficient Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) value of 0.77 kg/kWh. Meanwhile, woodchips showed high calorific value (4348 kcal/kg, Air-Dried Basis [ADB]) and low sulfur content (0.08%), despite having high total water content (38.97%). The high volatile matter content in both types of biomass supports combustion efficiency, but requires careful operational control. Overall, this study confirms that sawdust and woodchips have the potential as alternative fuels in co-firing, provided that adequate technical management is carried out to maintain the efficiency and stability of the combustion system.
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