TGA/FTIR as a Core Equipment for Delivering Research on Energy System Compound Stability

目前，在可持续、可靠的能源和电力生产方面存在巨大的全球挑战，随着人口增长和工业发展，预计能源和电力将迅速增加（IEA; BP，2018），同时需要减少温室气体排放并遏制气候变化（IPCC）。为了减少排放，英国已承诺到2050年将二氧化碳排放量相对于1990年水平减少80%（2008年气候变化法案）;最近修订为到2050年实现“净零”排放。然而，为了应对最近的能源和电力挑战并实现这些二氧化碳减排，需要更多地了解特定化合物，如下所述。这些化合物包括生物质/废物在热电厂换热器上形成的腐蚀诱导沉积物;这些沉积物在不同温度下的稳定性;电厂气体环境对沉积物的影响;这些沉积物降解时形成的气体;以及热能储存系统中盐的稳定性。所有这些领域都可以通过仔细应用热重分析（TGA;研究化合物/混合物变得不稳定的时间和温度）和傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR;研究逸出气体）来阐明。这些研究领域中的每一个都涉及使用“腐蚀性”或“肮脏”的大气进行研究。购买的TGA/FTIR将专门满足这一要求，配备专用气体管线，用于气体化合物和气体检测器，以确保安全。虽然该设备将在克兰菲尔德的能源和电力主题内举行，但它将为其他主题/中心（包括制造业，航空航天，水和运输）的广泛研究人员提供分析数据。这些设备与EPSRC资助的一系列研究领域相结合，包括：分析科学、生物能源、碳捕获和储存、燃烧工程、能源储存、化石燃料发电、能源应用材料以及材料工程-金属和合金。这些设备将支持克兰菲尔德与能源和电力供应相关的重要研究活动。例如，用低碳生物质/废物替代火力发电厂的化石燃料带来了好处（作物/废物使用前一个燃烧周期排放的二氧化碳）。然而，根据全球位置和一年中的时间，生物质/废物燃料种类繁多，每种燃料含有与传统化石燃料不同的化合物（通常硫含量较低，氯含量较高）。因此，发电厂中的高温降解过程（例如，昂贵的热交换器炉边腐蚀）将有很大不同。事实上，生物质燃烧导致金属快速浪费率和工厂寿命缩短，只能通过降低工厂温度和降低效率来抵消。可再生能源可能会避开火力发电厂的挑战。然而，由于是间歇性的，有时很少产生电力，需要热电厂来满足需求。当热电厂从满负荷（很少的可再生能源）“循环”到部分负荷（大量的可再生能源）时，由于较低的操作温度，会发生额外的退化过程（疲劳、热机械疲劳）以及部分负荷效率较低。储能系统可以“解决”间歇性可再生能源，然而，一个单一的主导技术尚未实现。此外，对高能量密度、重复充放电循环和长期稳定性的要求也带来了独特的挑战。目前正在考虑使用熔盐储存热能。克兰菲尔德大学目前正在研究上述所有挑战的各个方面，并将受益于获得这种基础多用户设备。具体而言，正在进行的项目涉及：* 生物质/废物燃烧（和/或共烧）* 改变工厂温度的影响 * 腐蚀和疲劳的相互作用 * 熔盐对工厂材料的影响。

Currently there are large global challenges in the sustainable, reliable generation of energy and power which, through population growth and industrial development, are expected to increase rapidly (IEA; BP, 2018) while there is a need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate change (IPCC). To cut emissions, the UK has committed to reduce CO2 emissions relative to 1990 levels by 80% by 2050 (Climate Change Act 2008); recently amended to 'net zero' emissions by 2050.However, to tackle recent energy and power challenges and meet these CO2 reductions, more needs to be known about specific compounds, as explained below. These compounds include the corrosion-inducing deposits formed by biomass/wastes on the heat exchangers of thermal plant; the stability of these deposits at different temperatures; the impact of power plant gas environment on deposits; the gases that form when these deposits degrade; and the stability of the salts in thermal energy storage systems. All of these areas can be elucidated with the careful application of Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA; to study the time and temperature at which compounds/mixtures become unstable) and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR; to study evolved gases).Each of these research areas involves the use of 'corrosive' or 'dirty' atmospheres for study. The purchased TGA/FTIR will specifically cater to this, with dedicated gas lines to a gas compound and gas detectors for safety. While this equipment will be held within Cranfield's Energy and Power theme, it will provide analytical data to a wide range of researchers based in other themes/centres (including Manufacturing, Aerospace, Water and Transport). These tie in to a range of EPSRC-funded research areas including: Analytical Science, Bioenergy, Carbon Capture and Storage, Combustion Engineering, Energy Storage, Fossil Fuel Power Generation, Materials for Energy Applications, and Materials Engineering - Metals and Alloys.This equipment will support significant research activities at Cranfield relating to energy and power supply. For example, substituting fossil fuels in thermal power plant with low carbon biomass/wastes brings benefits (crops/wastes use CO2 emitted by the previous combustion cycle). However, there is a wide variety of biomass/waste fuels, dependent upon the global location and time of year, each containing different compounds to conventional fossil fuels (often lower sulphur and higher chlorine levels). Thus, high temperature degradation processes in power plants (e.g. costly heat exchanger fireside corrosion), will vary considerably. Indeed, biomass combustion leads to rapid metal wastage rates and reduced plant life, only offset by lower plant temperatures and so reduced efficiency.Renewable energy may appear to side-step the challenges of thermal power plant. However, being intermittent, at times little power is produced needing thermal plant to meet demand. When thermal plant 'cycles' from full-load (few renewables) to part-load (plentiful renewables) additional degradation processes occur (fatigue, thermo-mechanical fatigue) as well as part-load being lower efficiency, due to lower operational temperatures. Energy storage systems may 'solve' intermittent renewables, however, a single predominant technology has yet to materialise. Moreover, the requirements for high energy density, repeated charging-discharging cycles, and long-term stability present their own unique challenges. Currently the storage of heat energy using molten salts is under consideration.Aspects of all of the above challenges are currently being researched at Cranfield University and would benefit from access to this underpinning multi-user equipment. Specifically, projects are underway related to:*Biomass/waste combustion (and/or co-firing)*The impacts of altered plant temperature*The interactions of corrosion and fatigue*The impact of molten salts on the materials the plant is made from.