06 Biomass

Conversion
Processes Part 2
A B E 1 3 2 R E A P P L I C AT I O N S I N A B E

2 N D S E M E S T E R S Y 2 0 2 3 - 2 0 2 4 | F R I D AY S |

10:00AM – 5:00PM
 Upon completion of this lecture, the student should be
able to:
1. Describe the overview of the various biomass
conversion processes;
2. Differentiate between chemical, biological, and
thermal conversion processes;
Learning 3. Recognize the various units and terminologies used
Objectives for estimating efficiencies of different biomass
energy conversion processes;
4. Compare new and advanced biomass conversion
processes, including combinations and hybrids; and
5. Enumerate all applications of various conversion
processes and list important products and co-
products produced.
Thermal Conversion Processes
Torrefaction – a biomass thermal pretreatment process
Pyrolysis – thermal process in complete absence of oxygen
Gasification – thermal process with incomplete amounts of oxygen
Combustion – thermal conversion with excess amounts of oxidant
 Process temperatures
Thermal process Amount of air used
(deg C)

Torrefaction No oxidant 200-320 C

Pyrolysis No oxidant 500-1200 C

Incomplete amounts
Gasification 300-1200 C
of oxidant

Excess amounts of
Combustion 2000-3000 C
oxidant

Schematic of various thermal

conversion processes
Torrefaction
Being used as a pretreatment process for biomass that will undergo a thermal
conversion process.
Process temperatures: 200 – 320 C
Main advantages: reduced moisture, improved bulk density, improved energy
density, improved composition of biomass (i.e. eliminated further biological
degradation, improved grindability)
 Syngas
(CO­2, CO,
Enclosed H2, light
biomass bin Electrically heated
Tube furnace (> 500C) hydrocarb
ons)
Auger
Condenser
Biochar
bin

Nitrogen
purge gas
Bio-oil

Schematic of simple
pyrolysis conversion process
Pyrolysis
Heating of biomass in the absence of oxygen.
Conducted at or above 500 °C, providing enough heat to deconstruct the strong structure of
cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
Produces three products: bio-oil, bio-char and syngas.
Because no oxygen is present, then combustion does not occur. Rather the biomass thermally
decomposes into combustible gases and bio-char.
Most of these combustible gases can be condensed into a combustible liquid, called pyrolysis
oil (bio-oil), though there are some permanent gases (CO­2, CO, H2, light hydrocarbons), some
of which can be combusted to provide the heat for the process.
Pyrolysis
The proportion of these products depends on several factors including the
composition of the feedstock and process parameters.
If main product is:
1. Biochar: operate at very low temperatures and longer retention times
2. Synthesis gas: operate at higher temperatures
3. Bio-oil: medium temperatures (500- 600 degC) and higher heating rates (1000
degC/s)
 Pyrolysis

Mobile Combustion Reduction Integrated Pyrolysis System (CRIPS) by

USDA-Agriculture Research Service
 BIOMASS
Heating value SYNGAS
Ultimate analysis Compositional analysis
%C, %H, %O, %N, %S %CO, %CO2, %H2,
Proximate analysis %N2, %O2, %CH4,
%MC, %VCM, %FC and Electrically heated
%C2H6
%ash Tube furnace (> 500C)
Auger
Auger motor rating Condenser
Furnace rating Biochar
bin

N2 Gas
BIOCHAR BIO-OIL
Flow rate, Temperature, RH
Heating value Heating value
Ultimate analysis Ultimate analysis
%C, %H, %O, %N, %S %C, %H, %O, %N, %S
Proximate analysis Proximate analysis
%MC, %VCM, %FC and %MC, %VCM, %FC and
%ash %ash

Pyrolysis Mass and Energy

Balances
Example 1: Simple Energy balance
in Auger-based Pyrolyzer
Determine the energy balance for the pyrolysis of sorghum biomass using the following
data (12-min test):
a. The amount of sorghum biomass used is 1.23 kg with a heating value of 18.1 MJ/kg;
b. The auger electrical motor is rated at 5A at 220V;
c. The furnace rating is 2400 W;
d. The amount of char produced is 0.5 kg with a heating value of 24 MJ/kg;
e. The energy content of the synthesis gas produced is 100 MJ/kg, and about 0.06 kg
syngas was collected;
 Example 2.5: Simple Energy
balance in Auger-based Pyrolyzer
f. The amount of bio-oil produced was 0.1 kg with a heating value of 26.2 MJ/kg.
Determine 1) the overall conversion efficiency assuming all products are utilized for
energy purposes and 2) the energy losses.
Example 2.5: Simple Energy
balance in Auger-based Pyrolyzer
Solution:
A. The energy balance in units of MJ is calculated as follows:
Eb + Ea + Ef = Ebc + Ebo + Esg

The energy input is calculated first:

Example 2.5: Simple Energy
balance in Auger-based Pyrolyzer
Solution:
B. The energy output is calculated next
Example 2.5: Simple Energy
balance in Auger-based Pyrolyzer
Solution:

D. The system losses is calculated from the difference as follows:

Losses = output energy – input energy = 24.9 – 20.62 = 4.28 MJ
Gasification
Gasification is the thermal conversion process that utilizes some amount of oxidants
or oxygen, but well below stoichiometric requirements (30 to 70%).

Main product: Synthesis gas or Producer gas (CO + H 2)

Synthesis gas is mainly used for heat and power generation

 Access door to load biomass

Simple updraft gasifier Synthesis gas outlet

Filled with biomass at start ↑ temperature : ↑ quality of

Air of process the gaseous product
blower

Screen support
Plenum Firing
door

Simple biomass gasifier schematic

showing basic component parts
 Compositional analysis
Synthesis gas
%CO, %CO2, %H2, %N2,
Ultimate analysis
%O2, %CH4, %C2H6
%C
%H
%O
%N Biochar
%S Ultimate analysis
Proximate analysis Fluidized bed %C
%MC gasifier %H
%VCM %O
%FC and %ash %N
Biomass %S
Proximate analysis
%MC
Schematic of Gasifying air
%VCM
%FC and %ash
energy and mass Incoming air
Flow rate
balances in Density
gasifier Temperature
RH
N2
O2
Carbon conversion efficiency

In most cases, the biochar is not used for much of the process, hence, the efficiency
is based on the energy content of the synthesis gas divided by the energy content of
the biomass feedstock used.
Example 2: Carbon efficiency
calculations in Gasification
Determine the carbon efficiency for a gasification conversion process using the following data:
The ultimate analysis of sorghum biomass has the following results:
C = 40.27%, H = 5.47%, O = 39.63%, N = 0.40%, S = 0.07%, and ash = 14.16%.
Thus, the important parameter is 40.27% carbon in the feedstock. The biomass was gasified at a
rate of 1.16 kg/min. The ultimate analysis of the char is as follows:
C = 31%, H = 2.1%, O = 40.4%, N = 1.0%, S = 0.01%, and ash = 25.4%.
The char production rate was measured at 0.31 kg/min. Assume that tar production is
negligible.
Example 2: Carbon efficiency
calculations in Gasification
Solution:
A. The carbon in synthesis gas is calculated from the difference between the fuel
and the char as follows:
Example 2: Carbon efficiency
calculations in Gasification
Solution:
B. Carbon conversion efficiency will be calculated based on carbon in syngas
divided by the carbon in the biomass as follows:
Combustion
Thermal conversion of biomass with excess air as the oxidant and with the production of heat.
The main products of conversion: heat, water and carbon dioxide.
The energy produced during the process is termed "Heat of Combustion” of the fuel, or in this
case, the heat of combustion of the biomass feedstock.
The heat of combustion is similar to the heating value of the biomass feedstock.
The heating value of holocellulose (cellulose and hemicellulose) is about 17.5 MJ/kg, while
that of lignin is about 26.65 MJ/kg.
Issues: high-ash residues (slagging and fouling), restricting laws (clean air act)
Example 3: Conversion of biomass
into electrical power
How many acres would be required to build a 50 MW (energy output) biomass
power plant (operated 365 days a year and 24 h a day) if the heating value of the
biomass (dry) is 16.25 MJ/kg? The biomass yield in metric tons (dry) per hectare per
year is about 9. Assume a conversion efficiency of 35% and using the formula for
percentage efficiency as follows:
Example 3: Conversion of biomass
into electrical power
Solution:
A. The energy input must be equal to 50 MW/0.35 = 142.9 MW.
B. This is a simple conversion process using dimensional analysis to the correct
units of hectares as follows:

C. Answer = 30,804 hectares

Hybrid Conversion Processes
Biological-Thermal Conversions
Thermal-Biological Conversions
 Hydrocarbon
Biomass Hydrogen fuels

Pretreat Ferment Dewater Thermal Hydrogenate Oligomerize

conversion

Carboxylate salts Ketones Alcohols

Lime

The MixAlco process to convert

biomass into higher alcohols and
hydrocarbon fuels
 Syngas storage tanks

Cyclone Gas Isopropanol

separators compression butanol
system

Biomass Fluidized bed

feed tank or
Downdraft Syngas scrubber system
gasifier

Biostat D-75 fermentor

Schematic of OSU pilot syngas fermentation

system. (Adapted from Kundiyana, D.K., R.L.
Hunke and M.R. Wilkins, Journal of Bioscience
and Bioengineering 109, 492, 2010)
Applications of Biomass
Conversion Products
Heat Energy
Electrical Energy
Combined Heat and Power
Mechanical Energy
Liquid Biofuels or Bio-Oil Production
Synthesis Gas Production and Use
Biochar Production
Example 4: Energy needed to heat
or boil a liter of water
How much energy is needed to raise the temperature of 1 L of water from an initial
temperature of 30 0C to a final temperature of 100 0C (boiling point of water) at
standard temperature and pressure (STP)? Compare this energy to the energy content
of a kilogram of wood waste with an energy content of 20 MJ. Assume the density of
water at STP is 1.0.
Example 4: Energy needed to heat
or boil a liter of water
Solution:
A. Equation 2.5 is used to arrive at the following values (note 1 L of water is equal
to 1 kg of water at STP).

B. Thus, 1 kg of wood has several times more energy than that required to boil 1 L
of water. In short, this is only equivalent to 1.5% of the energy of the fuelwood.
Thus, 1 kg of wood is more than enough to boil 1 L of water at STP.
Example 5: Conversion Efficiency
of Landfill Gas to Power
Determine the conversion efficiency of a landfill gas for a power-generation facility
with the following data: Electrical power output is 1.4 MW, and gas consumption is
2.7 million cubic meters of methane each year. Landfill gas has approximately 60%
methane. Assume about 8000 h of operation each year with a heating value of 5
kWh/m3.
Example 5: Conversion Efficiency
of Landfill Gas to Power
Solution:

A. The total amount of biogas used assuming 60% is methane is calculated from the following:

B. The energy efficiency equation is used to estimate efficiency as follows:

C. Thus, the conversion efficiency is approximately 50%.

Example 5: Engine Conversion
Efficiency
A biomass (wood) power plant uses steam to generate electrical power. Around
320,000 kg of water per hour enters the boiler at a pressure of 12.5 MPa and a
temperature of 200 deg C. Steam leaves the boiler at 9 MPa and 500 deg C. The
power output of the turbine is 60,000 kW. The rate of biomass input is 55,000 kg/h
with a heating value of 20 MJ/kg. Determine the efficiency of steam generator and
the overall thermal efficiency of the plant.
Example 5: Engine Conversion
Efficiency
Solution:
A. The heat transferred to the water to generate steam can be calculated by the
enthalpy changes at the different pressure and temperature combinations. From
steam tables, the enthalpy at 12.5 MPa and 200 deg C was 857.1, while the
enthalpy at the other condition is 3386.1:
Example 5: Engine Conversion
Efficiency
Solution:
B. Equation 2.8 may then be used to calculate the efficiency of the steam generator:
Example 5: Engine Conversion
Efficiency
Solution:
C. Equation 2.9 will be used to estimate the overall thermal efficiency of the system
as follows:
Exercise
Answer the following problems of the textbook:
P2.5., P2.6., P2.9., P2.10.