Biomass energy

Biomass
Biomass is organic matter produced by plants – terrestrial and aquatic – and their
derivatives.
The term biomass refers to those organic matters that are stored in plant and trees in
the form of carbohydrate (sugar).It is then transferred through food chains in
humans ,animals, and other living creatures and their waste.
It includes all plant life: trees, agricultural plants, bush, algae, and their residues after
processing
It may be obtained from forest woods, agricultural lands, arid lands, and even waste
lands
 Biomass Energy
 The energy stored in biomass is called bioenergy.
 Bioenergy is very versatile: It can be used to provide heat, make fuels, and generate
electricity.
 Many bioenergy sources are restored through the cultivation of fast growing grasses,
trees, and agricultural residues like vegetable oils, wheat straw, or corn.
 Biomass energy, or bio energy is the conversion of biomass (organic material
originating from plants, trees, and crops and essentially the collection and storage of
the sun’s energy through photosynthesis) into useful forms of energy such as heat,
electricity, and liquid fuels
Biomass production

 Photosynthesis
 Direct methods
 Indirect methods
 Photosynthesis Process
Photosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon
dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the
energy from sunlight
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS PROCESS
Biomass is produced in the photosynthesis process which converts
the solar energy into biomass energy.
Photosynthesis process only occurs in green plants.it is the process of
combining the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with water plus
light energy to carbohydrates produce(sugars , starches, celluloses
etc.)and oxygen.

6CO2 + 6H2O +solar light energy C6H12O6 + 6O2

C6H12O6 - Glucose
Biomass Production and Usage
1. Direct Methods
 Biomass is available in the following forms
1. Forest wood and wastes
2. Agricultural crops and residues
3. Residential food wastes
4. Industrial waste
5. Human and animal waste
6. Energy crops
 These raw biomass has a low energy density
 Their direct uses are burning them for cooking
 The problems with direct usage are energy inefficiency and excessive pollution
 This necessitates some kind of pre processing and conversion technology for enhancing
the usefulness of biomass
2.Indirect Methods

Biomass can be used indirectly by converting it to electricity or heat or into a

convenient fuel in solid ,liquid or gaseous form
The Conversion processes are
1. Thermo electrical Conversion
2. Biomass conversion to fuel
 Thermo electrical conversion
 Direct combustion of biomass material in the boiler produces steam
 That steam is used to drive a turbine coupled with a generator to produce electricity or
to provide heat for residential and industrial system
 But the boiler equipment are expensive and energy recovery is low
 Emissions from burning biomass are less compared to that of fossil fuels
 The efficiency of this process is influenced by
 Biomass moisture content
 Combustion air distribution and amount
 Operating temperature and pressure
 Flue gas temperature
Biomass Gasification
Process of partial combustion
Solid biomass is converted to combustible gas mixture
Incomplete combustion process
Biomass+airCO+CO2+CH4+H2+N2+water vapour
The gas produced is a mixture of CO, CO2,CH4,H2,N2
Produced gas can be used
To run IC engines
As a substitute for furnace oil
To produce methanol economically
CO-Carbon monoxide, CO2- Carbon dioxide, CH4- Methane
 Gasification processes involved with biomass are:
1. Drying of fuels: Process of drying biomass before it is fed into gasifier
2. Pyrolysis: Breaking down of biomass into charcoal by applying heat in the absence of
oxygen
3. Combustion: All the heat required for gasification process are available from
combustion
4. Cracking: Breaking down of large complex molecules when heated
5. Reduction: Oxygen atoms are removed in this process from combustion products and
returning them to combustible form again
 Chemistry of Reaction Processes in Gasification
 Four distinct processes are taking place in a gasifier
 1.Drying Zone of fuel:
 In this zone moisture content of biomass is removed to obtain the dry biomass.
 Some organic acids also comes out during the drying process. These acids give
rise to corrosion of gasifiers
 2.Pyrolysis zone:
 In this zone tar and other volatiles are driven off.
 (a) Upto 200 degree Celcius, only water is driven off
 (b)Between 200 -280 degree Celcius,CO2 ,acetic acid and water are driven off
 (c) Between 280 and 500, large quantity of tar and gases containing carbon
dioxide is produced. Besides, methyl alcohol is also formed
 (d)Between 500-700,the gas production is small and contains hydrogen
 Combustion (Oxidation) zone:
 C+O2CO2+Heat
 Reduction Zone:
 The hot gas passes through the reduction zone after the combustion zone
 No free oxygen in this zone.
 The carbon dioxide gas reacts with carbon in the fuel forming carbon monoxide gas
 1.C+CO2+heat2CO(endothermic)
 Water gas shift reaction:
 2.C+H2O+HeatCO+H2 (endothermic)
 Surplus water vapour reacts with CO to liberate CO2 and hydrogen
 3.CO+H2O-HeatCO2+H2 (exothermic)
 Classification of Gasifiers
 Two types:
 1.Fixed bed gasifier:
 In this type biomass fuels move either counter current or concurrent to the flow of
gasification medium which is air, steam or oxygen
 They are further classified according to the way in which air flow is introduced in it.
 2.Fluidized bed gasifier:
 In fluidized bed gasifier inert materials like sand ,ash , or char is utilized to make
bed and act as heat transfer medium
 It makes use of excellent mixing characteristics and high reaction rates of gas solid
mixture
Updraft gasifier
 Updraft gasifier
 The air intake is at the bottom and gas leaves at the top (counter current flow)
 The reactive agent is injected at the bottom of the reactor and ascends to the top ,while
the fuel is introduced at the top, and descends to the bottom
 The combustion reactions occur near the grate at the bottom followed by
reduction reaction somewhat higher up in the gasifier
 Drying and Pyrolysis happens at the upper part
 In the upper part ,gases ,tar and other volatile compounds are dispersed at the top part
 Ash is removed at the bottom
 The producer gas or syngas will have high ash content which should be removed
before direct use.
 Slagging and ash content can be severe if high ash fuels are used
 Unsuitable for use with fluffy, low density fuels
 Applications:
 Packaged boilers, thermal fluid heaters, Aluminium melting/annealing furnaces, all
kinds of fryer roaster
Downdraft Gasifier
 Downdraft Gasifier
 Air is introduced at ,or above the oxidation zone in the gasifier and the producer gas is
removed at the bottom
 Fuel and gas move in the same direction
 Biomass fuel is admitted at the top similar to the updraft gasifier
 As the feed progresses down through the gasifier,it dries and its volatiles are pyrolysed.
 The char is directed into a reduced diameter cylindrical throat section at the bottom of the
gasifier
 Gasification air is injected into the throat through openings in the throat wall.
 Due to the high temperature existing at the throat section , tars and oils could be cracked ,
which tend to form the producer gas, particularly when the biomass has more than 20%
moisture content
 The producer gas leaves at the bottom of the gasifier.
 Applications:
 Continuous baking ovens, Batch type baking ovens, Drying and curing,Thermal fluid
heaters, Annealing furnaces, Direct fired rotary klins, Boilers,IC engine
Crossdraft Gasifier
 Crossdraft Gasifier
 Here the biomass is fed through one side of the gasifier and the producer gas leaves
through the other side
 In crossdraft gasifier, the ash bin, fire and reduction zone and reduction zone in
crossdraft gasifiers are separated
 Air enters the gasifier through a water cooled nozzle mounted on one side of the firebox
 Confines its combustion and reduction near the air nozzle
 High operating temperature
 The high operating temperature will affect the gas composition such as high CO, and
low hydrogen and methane content when dry fuels like charcoal is used
 Operates well with low ash ,dry biomass feed fuels.
Fluidized bed gasifier
 Fluidized bed gasifier
Improved version of fixed bed gasifiers
The bed is made of an inert material (such as sand ,ash,or char) is heated
initially and the fuel is introduced when the temperature has reached the
appropriate level.
The bed material transfers heat to the fuel
Fluidized bed gasifiers have no distinct reaction zones and drying,
pyrolysis and gasification occur simultaneously
The fuel particles are introduced at the bottom of the reactor ,very quickly
mixed with the bed material and almost instantaneously heated up to the bed
temperature
As a result fuel is pyrolysed fast resulting in a component mix with a
relatively large amount of gaseous materials
Further gasification and tar conversion reactions occur in the gas phase
Benefits of fluidized bed gasifier
High overall efficiency
Fuel flexibility
Highly reliable
Low purchase and installation costs
Flexible operation
Low emission
Reduced costs for boilers, additional steamers
Reduced dependency on external fuel sources.
Gasifier Feed characteristics
 The following will dictate the feed characteristics of gasifier
 1.Energy content of fuel and Bulk density
 Higher the energy conent and bulk density, higher will be the volume of
gasifier
 2.Moisture content
 Low moisture content is desirable
 Should be less than 20%
 3.Dust content
 The undesirable dust produced by gasifier fuels can clog IC engines and
hence should be removed
 The gasifier design should be such that it should not produce dust
beyond limits
 Higher the dust produced higher will be the load on the filters
4.Tar content
Tar is one of the most unpleasant components
It tends to get deposited on carburator and intake valves
causing sticky and troublesome operations
By product of pyrolysis process
Filters and cleaners are used to remove tar content
 5.Ash and slagging characteristics
 The mineral content in the fuel that remains in the oxidised state after
complete combustion is called ash.
 Ash interferes with gasification process in two ways:
 1.it fuses together to form slag and this clinker stops or inhibits the flow
of biomass feed
 2.Even if it does not fuse together, it shelters the points in fuel where
ignition is initiated, thus lowering the fuel reaction response
 Slagging can be overcome by two types of gasifier operations
 Low temperature operation with temperature below the flow
temperature of ash
 High temperature operature that keeps the temperature above the melting
point of ash
Applications of biomass Gasifiers
1.Motive Power
2.Direct heating Applications
3.Electrical Power generation
4.Chemical Production
Cooling and cleaning of gasifier
 The types of filters are:
 1.Cyclone filters:
 Useful for particle size 5 micrometer and above
 Due to the combined effect of Cyclonic movement of the gas and the effect
of gravity ,the dust particles sediment at the bottom and are removed
 2.Wet scrubber
 Here gas is washed by water in countercurrent mode
 The scrubber also acts like a cooler
 3.Cloth filters
 Fine filter
 For many gasifiers the hot gases passes through cyclone filter ,then to cloth
filter and finally through wet scrubber
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