Objectives

The overall goal of the project is to research online metrological methods for analysis of solid and liquid biofuels, to provide a metrological framework, including determination of the calorific value and quantification of impurities for validation of the developed methods, ensuring traceability of online instrumentation.

The specific objectives are: 

1. To develop traceable online measurements for water content in solid biofuels, for the measurement ranges 5% - 12% (wood pellets) and 20% - 75% (wood chips) with a target uncertainty of 5%.

2. To develop improved methods for the sampling of biofuels (when online methods cannot be used). Furthermore, to research the use of data science techniques such as machine learning or deep learning for optimising calibration curves to improve uncertainties, e.g. the inhomogeneous nature of the fuels.

3. To traceably determine the calorific value of the solid biofuels by developing validated methods for the online measurement of ash content.In addition, to develop accurate methods < 0.1%, absolute repeatability and 0.2% absolute reproducibility for determining the amount and composition of ash content in the measurement range 0% – 1%.

4. To develop validated methods to determine the amount and nature of impurities in liquid biofuels, including quantifying and qualifying inorganic and organic by-products and to develop a traceable method for the online determination of the calorific value of liquid biofuels.

5. To disseminate and facilitate the take up of the technology and measurement infrastructure developed in the project by the measurement supply chain, standards developing organisations e.g. European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and end users, e.g. European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP) Bioenergy and European Biodiesel Board (EBB).