Design of a High Temperature Steam Generator System using Solar Energy for a Biomass Torrefaction Reactor

Torrefaction is one of the method to extract biomass energy from its raw form
other than direct combustion, thermo chemical transformation, carbonization and others.
Torrefaction is a thermal conversion technique for biomass refming process in the
oxygen free atmosphere. This process requires atmospheric temperature of200-300°C. In
order to achieve this temperature a necessary outside heat need to be supplied to the
torrefaction reactor. This heat can be generated from various sources such as electricity,
and hydrocarbon combustion. However the usage of this source consumes some already
produced electricity and not enviromnentally friendly. Apart from all these energy
sources, solar thermal energy also could be used as the energy sources for the torrefaction
process as it is enviromnentally friendly and also abundant without the need to use energy
in order to extract and use it. The objective of this project is conducted to develop a high
temperature solar thermal system for use as an energy source for the torrefaction of
biomass. This project focuses developing solar concentrator with tracker, the thermal
storage and addition of the existing component including heat exchanger and pump.