°ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼

Introduction

Kantor Energy enlisted the expertise of Kantor Energy by °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ (formerly Wilde Analysis) to assist with a design project of a boiler house ventilation system. Using ANSYS Fluent software, °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ carried out simulations to successfully identify an optimal ventilation system design which allowed Kantor to avoid unnecessary costs as well as potential delays.

Background

Kantor Energy was the EPC Contractor on a 7MW Biomass Power plant in Sheffield. As part of the ventilation design optimisation, Kantor wished to create a thermal model of the boiler hall. This would ensure that the system was adequately and efficiently ventilated in all operating scenarios.

Challenge

The CFD team at °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ was approached by Kantor to carry out a study to investigate possible ways to improve the ventilation inside the boiler house. A simplified geometry file was provided to °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ by Kantor Energy, which included the major components of the boiler house, with assigned temperatures. The geometry data consisted of two parallel sets of furnace, boiler, eco tower, ESP, bag filter and related ductwork. The geometry was then modified and prepared for the computational analysis.

Solution

Using ANSYS Fluent software, °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ modified the geometry and mesh at the ceiling to specify areas which could be used either as walls, openings (hoods) or fans. Using Fluent’s material data, the heat conduction and heat loss through the walls could be analysed accurately, while heat convection inside the room was modelled using a Boussinesq approximation.

Thermal boundary conditions were specified for various surfaces on the equipment of the boiler together with external areas, including ceiling and walls.

Five simulations overall were carried out considering different ventilation strategies. A pseudo-transient steady-state solution, with adaptive time-stepping, was applied to obtain faster results.

Business Benefit

The study carried out by °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ predicted temperatures in the boiler house under the baseline design scenario and when considering additional ventilation equipment in the ceiling. These results enabled °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ and Kantor to successfully identify the most efficient ventilation method to maintain desirable temperatures.

The design of the ventilation system at Holbrook Renewable Energy Centre (HREC) presented a unique challenge to Kantor energy. Due to the space limitations and requirement to install all combustion plant within a relatively small building, it was clear that a bespoke and specialist approach would be required. °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ (formerly Wilde Analysis) very quickly took up the challenge and produced a set of simulations that identified the optimal ventilation system design. The rapid turnaround and precision of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼â€™s analysis allowed Kantor to avoid unnecessary costs as well as potential delays. We look forward to working with °ÄÃÅÅܹ·Í¼ again on future projects

Kantor Energy