EEng-4413 Energy Conversion & Rural Electrification
Lecture 15
Biomass Energy
Adama University
School of Engineering & Information Technology
Department of Electrical Engineering
Power Engineering Stream
By Tahaguas Andemariam
2011
Introduction
Biomass is a renewable energy source because the energy it
contains comes from the sun. Through the process of
photosynthesis, chlorophyll in plants captures the sun's energy by
converting carbon dioxide from the air and water from the ground
into carbohydrates, complex compounds composed of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen.
Biomass is an important source of energy and the most
important fuel worldwide after coal, oil and natural gas.
Biomass fuels, also known as biofuels, may be solid, liquid, or gas
and are derived from biomass feedstock.
Biofuel technologies can efficiently transform the energy in
biomass into transportation, heating, and electricity generating
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fuels.
Biomass Definition
Biomass can be defined as:
Plant and other growing species capable of being used as
fuel.
Organic material mainly composed of carbohydrate and
lignin compounds, the building blocks of which are the
elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Stored form of solar energy relying on the process of
photosynthesis
Some examples of biomass are:
i. fuel wood v. bagasse
ii. tree barks vi. switch grass
iii. sugar cane vii. corn cobs
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iv. wheat straw ix. coconut shells
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a process by which chlorophyll
containing organisms capture energy in the form of light
and convert it to chemical energy.
It is a very complex process carried out by green plants,
blue-green algae, and certain bacteria. The basic equation
is:
Photosynthesis needs suitable environment, appropriate
pigments, whose cumulative light-absorbing
properties determine the range of wavelengths and a
reaction center excited pigment emit electrons 4
Correlation of Carbon and energy Content
Different biomass components have different Heat of
combustion
– It has to do with different chemical structure
Mono saccharides have the lowest carbon content,
highest degree of Oxygenation
– Lowest Heating value,
– Just about 16 MJ/kg dry
Terpene and lipids hydrocarbon have
the highest Heat value
– about 40 MJ /kg dry
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Energy Potential of Biomass
Virgin Biomass
Waste Biomass
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW),
Municipal bio solids (SEAWAGW),
Industrial waste,
Animal manures,
Agriculture crops and forestry residual,
landscaping and tree clipping etc.
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Virgin Biomass Production
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Thermal Conversion of Biomass
These are some of the common products produced
during gasification, liquefaction or pyrolysis of
biomass:
Solid Products charcoal, ash
Liquid Products water, tar, volatile acids,
alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones
Gaseous Products H2, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H4,
C2H6
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Gasification
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Biomass Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is the process by which biomass is
converted to liquid (bio-oil or bio-crude),
solid and gaseous fractions by heating it to
about 500 °C in the absence of air.
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Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is the breakdown of organic matter
by bacteria in the absence of oxygen.
As the organic solids are broken down by anaerobic
bacteria, carbon dioxide gas and methane gas are formed.
A large amount of organic matter is destroyed, but about
90% of the energy available in the substrate is retained in
the easily purified gaseous product, CH4. Methane is
combustible and can be used as a fuel to heat the
digestion tank as well as to generate electricity.
Anaerobic digestion is very sensitive to temperature,
acidity, and other factors. It requires careful monitoring
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and control.
Fermentation
Fermentation refers to the enzyme-catalysed,
energy-yielding chemical reactions that occur
during the breakdown of complex organic
substrates, usually but not always under anaerobic
conditions, in the presence of certain micro
organisms.
The most typical product from fermentation is
ethanol.
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Biomass Composition and Energy Content
In a similar way to coal, biomass materials are
also characterized according to their:
- Ultimate Analysis
- Proximate Analysis
- Gross Calorific Values
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Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
- Lower sulphur and nitrogen content-Lower sulphur and
nitrogen content as compared to coal and fuel oil results in
lower SOx and NOx emissions.
- Reduction of CO2 emissions-Sustainable management of
biomass can result in a reduction of CO2 emissions by
displacement of fossil fuels (CO2 produced during
combustion are considered CO2 neutral).
- Savings for developing countries-Biomass usage
provides savings for most developing countries by
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displacing imported fossil fuels.
Cont’d
Disadvantages:
- Low thermal intensity- Biomass has low thermal
intensity as compared to fossil fuels; therefore, for a
specified plant duty, biomass mass flows are greater than
those for coal
- Low and bulk density- Most biomass has low density and
bulk density and therefore requires larger equipment for
handling, storage and burning.
- High moisture content- Biomass materials normally have
a high moisture content, therefore reducing combustion
efficiency. 34