The project is executed by Institute of Fluid-flow Machinery, in cooperation with three companies experienced in the construction of turbines, compressors and boilers. 

The goal of the project is to develop an innovative microcogeneration device with an electrical power of approx. 30 kW using the Brayton cycle. The device will be a new product dedicated to the Polish and foreign prosumer micro-cogeneration market, satisfying the needs of thousands of industrial and service companies, large farms, food industry and municipal enterprises.

The device will produce more than 120 kW of thermal power, operating in a maintenance-free mode and with a high level of reliability. It will consist of an incandescent solid fuel boiler (biomass, coal); a gas turbine driven by hot air at a temperature of 850 ° C, delivered by the boiler; compressor and electric generator. The proposed solution, with air as a working medium - a commonly available and clean, gives a huge advantage over other technologies. The innovation and technological advancement of the product is, inter alia, the developed design of the boiler with a high temperature radiation air heater, which will significantly increase the heat exchange efficiency. In contrast to typical gas microturbines requiring gaseous or liquid fuels, the device will enable the use of two basic solid fuels - wood and hard coal. At the same time, thanks to the use of burners using inertial particle separation already in the combustion chamber, the device will meet the emission requirements for class 5 boilers. 

All critical components, i.e. incandescent air boiler, radiation air heater and gas turbocharger, will be based on Polish technologies and will be produced by the consortium implementing the project. The installation will be mobile (container-based) to allow the future purchaser to adapt to the connection conditions.

As part of the project POIR.02.03.02-22-0010 / 15-00, in cooperation with SARK company, an innovative low power steam boiler was designed, produced and tested under various working conditions. The 20 kW boiler produces steam for the needs of a high-speed steam turbine operating in the ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle). Heating of the working medium and the production of steam are performed directly. The working medium receives heat directly from the exhaust gases from biomass combustion. This concept is an original solution proposed by the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdańsk. This device is an extension of the new idea of power generation in combination with generation of heat in a small-scale combined heat and power plant.

 

Model of the designed steam boiler.

The Department of Renewable Energy at the Polish Academy of Sciences supports Space Forest Ltd. in designing an inexpensive, reusable suborbital rocket. As part of the cooperation, our team develops a computer program featuring a computational model of a hybrid rocket motor. This program is to be used as an engineering tool supporting the design of a Polish rocket capable of reaching heights above 100km. The problems under consideration include multiphase flow modeling, self-pressurized tank drainage, combustion and supersonic flows. Work in these topics supports the development of the Polish space sector and is also in line with global trends over the research of hybrid rocket motors.