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，通过人口增长和工业发展，这些能源和电力预计将迅速增加(IEA；BP，2018)，同时需要减少温室气体排放和遏制气候变化(IPCC)。为了减少排放，英国承诺到2050年将二氧化碳排放量在1990年的基础上减少80%(2008年《气候变化法》)；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以及二氧化碳减排，需要更多地了解特定的化合物，如下所述。这些化合物包括生物质/废弃物在热电厂换热器上形成的腐蚀沉积物；这些沉积物在不同温度下的稳定性；发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类的稳定性。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)和傅立叶变换红外光谱(FTIR；研究释放出的气体)来阐明。购买的TGA/FTIR将专门迎合这一点，配有通往气体化合物的专用气体管道和安全气体探测器。虽然该设备将在克兰菲尔德的能源和电力主题范围内持有，但它将向其他主题/中心(包括制造、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关联，包括：分析科学、生物能源、碳捕获和储存、燃烧工程、能量储存、化石燃料发电、能源应用材料以及材料工程-金属和合金。例如，用低碳生物质/废物替代火力发电厂中的化石燃料会带来好处(农作物/废物使用前一个燃烧周期排放的二氧化碳)。然而，生物质/废物燃料种类繁多，取决于全球位置和一年中的时间，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侧腐蚀)将有很大的不同。事实上，生物质燃烧会导致金属的快速浪费和工厂寿命的缩短，只会被较低的工厂温度和降低的效率所抵消。可再生能源似乎可以避开火力发电厂的挑战。然而，由于是间歇性的，有时产生的电力很少，需要热电厂来满足需求。当热电厂从满负荷(可再生能源很少)到部分负荷(大量可再生能源)的“循环”时，会发生额外的降解过程(疲劳、热机械疲劳)，并且由于运行温度较低，部分负荷效率较低。储能系统可能会“解决”间歇性的可再生能源，然而，一项占主导地位的技术还没有出现。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提出了自己独特的挑战。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所有上述挑战的方面，并将受益于获得这种支撑多用户设备的机会。具体而言，正在开展的项目涉及：*生物质/废物燃烧(和/或混烧)*工厂温度变化的影响*腐蚀和疲劳的相互作用*熔盐对工厂所用材料的影响。

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.