The Biomass Conversion Laboratory has been opened at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, SGGW
During the energy crisis, the rational and sustainable use of renewable energy sources, including wood and herbaceous biomass, is becoming more and more important. In response to the demand of the energy market and manufacturers of heating devices, a modern Biomass Conversion Laboratory was established at the Department of Fundamentals of Engineering and Power Engineering, Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. It enables conducting research and development works on broadly understood innovative ecological technologies for herbaceous and wood biomass conversion. The laboratory also makes it possible to carry out work on modern and ecological constructions of heating devices powered by herbaceous and wood biomass.
The main innovation is a specially designed hydraulic system that enables conducting tests of various types of heating devices in controlled conditions. During tests, it is possible to control the heat load of the tested device as a function of the supply temperature of the power take-off circuits and to regulate the flow of the heating medium through the tested heating device as well as adjust the chimney draught. What is more, the researchers now have the possibility of conducting operational tests of a heating device for a specific building with its heat load changing over time. Such tests make it possible to determine the operating parameters of the tested device if it were to supply heat to the central heating and hot water of a real building.
Conducting such tests is possible thanks to a specially designed hydraulic structure of the power take-off system cooperating with the advanced control system of the entire installation. All key operating parameters, such as temperatures and flows of working media, are monitored and recorded by a specially designed monitoring and measurement data acquisition system. Some works related to modifications of the construction of heating devices, boilers and space heaters will also be carried out in our new laboratory. Moreover, physical and chemical analysis of raw materials for the production of biofuels will also be carried out, as well as analyses of the biofuel formation process.
The Biomass Conversion Laboratory has been under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Climate and Environment and the Director General of State Forests.
The opening of the Biomass Conversion Laboratory of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, SGGW took place on 25 April 2023. During the ceremony, the Minister of Climate and Environment was represented by Edward Siarka, Secretary of State, Government Plenipotentiary for Forestry and Hunting, and Mr.Mariusz Błasiak joined on behalf of the Head of State Forests.
SGGW was represented by: SGGW Rector, prof. dr hab. Michał Zasada, Vice-Rector for Development, prof. dr hab. Kazimierz Tomala, Chancellor dr inż. Władysław W. Skarżyński, Head of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering dr hab. Tomasz Nurek, prof. SGGW, dr hab. Paweł Obstawski, Head of the Department of Fundamentals of Engineering and Energy, prof. dr hab. Aleksander Lisowski representing Department of Biosystems Engineering.
