The Laboratory of Steam Boilers and Thermal Plants of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA - LSBTP) has a wide expertise and is active for over 30 years in the fields of energy efficiency and savings from central and decentralized thermal plants, heat/mass transfer phenomena, process simulation/optimization and development of advanced cycles for power generation, tri-generation of electricity heating cooling as well as integration of renewable energy sources in thermal processes. NTUA – LSBTP has been working on the examination of phenomena which affect and determine the process of combustion in furnaces of conventional and non-conventional steam boilers, the formation of pollutants and the technologies for their reduction, the examination of heat transfer phenomena on the exchange surfaces of steam boilers, the testing and certification of heating systems as for their efficiency and their exhaust gas quality for oil, gas and solid /biomass fuels, the energy saving from Thermal Power Plants, the development of new technologies and combustion systems, the energetic use of biomass (combustion, gasification) and novel technologies (hydrogen, CO2 capture and Utilization) in power sector. In decentralized applications, LSBTP is focusing on the optimization and experimental investigation of the Organic Rankine Cycle, low and high temperature heat pumps and reversible processes. Moreover, modelling work has been carried out concerning life cycle assessment (LCA) of biomass-to-energy and waste-to-energy conversion, energy and exergy analysis of biomass-fuelled co-generation units, as well as Life Cycle (LC) and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis, heat recovery from various processes, such as cement and glass industry and heat recovery and utilization in energy intensive industries, such as aluminium industries. Furthermore, experimental work has been performed in the fields of coal and biomass combustion, gasification and gas cleaning in various test rigs including a pilot scale 200 kWe co-generation unit, two fluidized bed reactors for combustion and gasification, as well as lab-scale rigs for testing sorbents for pollutant removal and solvents for CO2 capture. LSBTP is equipped with solar cooling and solar tri-generation units whereas, waste heat recovery by means of ORC is also investigated.
NTUA – LSBTP is a certified body for heating systems (including co-generation and tri-generation systems) and has certified more than 90% of the small, medium and large co-generation plants operating nowadays in Greece). Phenomena which affect and determine the process of combustion in furnaces of conventional and non-conventional steam boilers have been modelled with commercial and custom-made software, as well as heat transfer phenomena in heat exchanger surfaces.
NTUA - LSBTP has also performed energy inspections seminars for buildings, boilers, heating and air-conditioning systems according to the Presidential Decree 100/2010 (Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic 177 A’) and the relevant Joint Ministerial Decision “Education and examination process of energy inspectors” (Government Gazette of the Hellenic Republic 2406 B’).
NTUA – LSBTP has extensive experience and research activity in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources interventions in various types of buildings mainly situated in Greece. More than two and a half million simulations (2,500,000) in typical buildings (SFH, MFH, office) in Greece have been performed. The simulation tools were developed by the members of the Laboratory and are in accordance with valid European standards (e.g. ELOT EN ISO 13790 E2 (2009), ELOT EN 15316 (2008), ELOT EN 15193 (2008), etc.). Additionally, similar simulations of techno-economic analysis were also executed, as defined in Directive 2010/31/EC and the delegated regulation (EC) no. 244/2012.
NTUA – LSBTP has a fully operational solar subsystem to power any small scale experimental setup with heating loads of <25 kW. The solar field consists of 40 m² of evacuated tube collectors and a specialized weather station for accurate measuring of the solar harvesting efficiency. Moreover, a heating/cooling installation is realized to cover the loads of five office buildings, allowing the testing of associated systems in real-test conditions, under different occupational profiles.
NTUA – LSBTP has designed and constructed a fully automated 5 kWe ORC system for marine application. The ORC prototype exhibits impressive features such as Human Machine Interface, autonomous operation, rump up /down behavior during the HT temperature variation (ICE load variation) and compact and modular design. It is the first ever designed and constructed in Hellas for low temperature marine application (90 oC) and one of the first worldwide. The ORC system, since it was found to be compliant to DNV rules for ships Pt.4 Cp.6 piping systems (January 2017), can be fitted inside an engine room of a ship.
The Laboratory is contributing throughout the years to research projects partially funded by the E.C. and national organisations in cooperation with other partners from the national and EU-wide academic and business environment, such as HORIZON 2020, RFCS, 5th & 6th & 7th Framework programme, Competitiveness and Innovation Programme CIP – EIP, LIFE-Environment, JOULE I, JOULE II, JOULE III, Thermie Action A, Thermie Action B, TMR, COMMET, INCO, General Secretariat of Research and Development (PEPER, EPER, MEM, PENED programmes). Finally, members of NTUA – LSBTP group have been working as senior engineers in industrial projects, acting as emissions trading consultants for EU ETS operators and have executed dissemination activities in their field (e.g within LIFE-DG Environment or Marie Curie Human Resources & Mobility projects).