The Selected Results of the Experimental Research of Solid Fuel Pneumatic Transportation to Ship’s Boiler

The article presents the problems related to the application of alternative fuel like solid biomass in the shipbuilding. The decreasing resources of the crude oil, the requirements regarding environmental protection as well as the increase of the liquid fuel prices were the reason for the study. The solid biomass comparing to the liquid or gaseous forms has relatively low calorific value. In order to increase this value the solid biomass is subject to the densification or torrefaction process and most often occurs in the shape of pellets. In this form it could be useful on ships. A test stand has been characterised where it can be experimentally verified whether ship’s rolling does affect the changes in flow resistance values during the pneumatic transportation of solid fuel from the storage facility to the boiler. On the basis of the measurements the hydraulic characteristics have been provided for the piping located on the movable platform with and without granular material. The changes in the platform oscillation period have influence on the change in the pressure inside transport piping for each investigated material. The results also show that the platform constantly inclinations do exert an influence on the pressure drop in the transport pipeline during transporting the granular material. It is smaller when the position is inclined. Comparing the results obtained for the different transported materials of a similar nature of the pressure fluctuations could be observed.