Songs from the wood
15 Jan 2000
A new technique developed by AEA Technology Environment is to help prevent nitrogen oxide emissions from a wood-burning power station under construction in Eggborough, Yorkshire by Dutch firm Schelde Engineering.
The station will burn poplar and willow, which will be grown on local farms. This will provide a combustion gas, which will then be burned in a gas turbine to generate electricity. However, the wood contains high levels of nitrogen compounds, which form ammonia when heated. This must be removed before the combustion gas enters the turbine, or it would form oxides of nitrogen.
The AEA technique involves reacting the ammonia with sulphuric acid to produce ammonium sulphate, which will be used as a fertiliser for the wood plantations which will feed the station. The contract to fit the equipment is worth some £900,000 of the total £26million cost of the station.
