Biomass Resources, Characterisation and Technologies

Prof. Anuradda Ganesh Energy Systems Engineering, IIT Bombay 21st September 2006

Biomass - a natural solar cell

What is Biomass? Why Biomass? Limitations? Effective Utilisation of Biomass!

Any organic matter formed, directly or indirectly, by virtue of photosynthesis, is called biomass
Crop residues Forest residues Agro-industrial residues Animal waste Aquatic plants Purpose grown trees

Others like MSW and synthetic organics.

Why Biomass?

Fossil fuels are fast depleting Gap between supply & demand increasing Green house gas emissions steadily increasing and causing concern Biomass is a renewable source and available in abundance
[ Annual emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion and land use change (deforestation) ~ 6.7 and 1.6 Pg C respectively]

[ Earths natural biomass replacement represents an energy supply of around 3x1021J a year, of which just under 2% is currently used as a fuel]

Limitations
Crop residues generated in country sideLow in bulk density High transportation costs Seasonal availability High moisture content, high bio-degradability Therefore, Decentralised utilisation preferred Dedicated system for single biomass is questionable due to seasonal availability, R & D on multi-fuel flexibility Should be called feedstock for fuels rather than fuel

Consequences of Limitations

Limitation on scale Upgradation required for wider use Dedicated system for single biomass is
questionable due to seasonal availability

High transportation costs

Therefore,

Decentralised utilisation preferred Upgradation to better fuel taken up R & D on multi-fuel flexibility

Effective Utilisation of Biomass

Biomass
Improved solid fuels (Pellet, Char pellet)

Liquid Fuels

Gaseous Fuels

Thermo-chemical (Pyrolysis Oil)

Thermo-chemical Gasification (Producer Gas) Bio-chemical Biomethanation (Bio gas)

Extraction Trans-esterification Seed based crop (Biodiesel) Bio-chemical (Ethanol)

Biomass and Coal

Properties
Volatile matter (dry basis) Fixed Carbon (dry basis) Ash (dry basis) C (d.m.m.f) H (d.m.m.f)

Coal
<20 - ~50% ~ 40 ~80%

Biomass
60 90% <5 - ~25%

<10 - ~45%

<1 - ~25%

~ 80% ~ 5- ~10%

~ 50% ~10%

O (d.m.m.f)

~10- ~20%

~ 40%

Calorific value (MJ/kg)

16 - 34

16 - 19

Flame intensity If = (d/dt) h Where I - flame or reaction intensity (d/dt) - weight loss with respect to time & h - heat content Therefore, the rapid weight loss of bio-fuels, when compared to any coal compensates for lower calorific values

Co-firing in spreader-stoker boilers is easily adaptable

CO2

Air

Flaming combustion

Heat

Volatiles Heat Biomass Char Air Surface combustion Heat

CO2

In biomass combustion process,

Biomass is having 70% volatiles Typically 50% Carbon, 10% Hydrogen, 40% Oxygen Most oxygen is released in combined form with volatiles About 50% energy is contributed by gas phase combustion through volatiles Rate of release of volatiles is high and different for different biomass Therefore, provision of air, mixing are critical

TGA of Biomass 1 and Biomass 2

Characteristics of biomass
Biomass Arhar stalk Bagasse Bamboo dust Cotton stalk Coconut coir Corn cob Dhaincha stalk Groundnut shell Jute stick Kikar (Acacia) Mustard shell Pine needle Rice husk Sal seed leaves Sal seed husk Volatiles 83.47 75.10 75.32 70.89 70.30 80.20 80.32 68.12 75.33 77.01 70.09 72.38 60.64 60.03 62.54 Ash 1.77 8.03 9.09 6.68 2.93 3.60 2.67 6.91 5.67 0.64 15.43 1.50 19.48 19.75 9.40 Ash deformation temp. range (0 C) 1250-1300 1300-1350 1300-1350 1320-1380 1100-1150 800-900 < 800 1180-1200 1300-1350 1300-1350 1350-1400 1250-1300 1430-1500 1200-1250 1450-1500 Ash fusion temp. range (0 C) 1460-1500 1420-1450 1400-1450 1400-1450 1150-1200 950-1050 800-900 1220-1250 1400-1450 1380-1400 1400-1450 1350-1400 1650 1350-1400 1500-1550

Contd..

Conclusions
Every biomass has a characteristic behaviour depending on its basic composition and morphology of its components. Ash composition and fusion temperature also influence the adaptability and suitability. Physical properties of biomass also play an important role particularly in sizing of the reactor/hopper and extent of co-firing. For all thermo-chemical conversion processes pyrolysis plays a key role.

Biomass is not a low grade fuel as the rate of weight loss compensates for the lower calorific values when compared with coal. The design and operation however, has to consider the large flaming combustion/amount of gases and vapours to be handled. Interchangeability of biomass in a reactor is subject to both the physical and chemical properties.

Co-firing
Co-firing practice of supplementing a primary or a base fuel with a dissimilar fuel Recently, in US & Europe, there has been a considerable emphasis on co-firing biomass fuels with coal in PULVERISED COAL and CYCLONE BOILERS owned and operated by utilities to address issues like CO2 reduction, generation of green power etc.

Co-firing technology comprises of

Blending the biomass and coal in fuel handling system and feeding that blend to the boiler Preparing the biomass fuel separately from coal, and injecting it into the boiler without imparting the conventional coal delivery system Gasifying biomass with subsequent combustion of producer gas in either a boiler or a combined cycle combustion turbine generating plant Gasifying biomass to partially substitute the furnace oil used in a furnace Co-firing with natural gas for performance enhancement in biomass and coal-fired boilers

Lets take a re-look at the properties of biomass

Modest heat content Sulphur Nitrogen Volatile / fixed carbon ratio : 15-22 MJ/kg : Low : Low : 3.5 5

Typically fuels co-fired at 10-25% ( mass basis) ~ 4 10% co-firing on a heat input basis Also, say we take straw which has very low bulk density of 80 kg/m3 as against coal 880 kg/m3 A 5% straw/95% coal on mass basis ~ 1m3 straw/1.7 m3 coal blend i.e., 37% straw on a volumetric basis

Technologies for biomass combustion

There are three main types Fixed bed type typically Grate fired
- Traditional technology developed for coal combustion

and combustion of municipal solid waste - Used for biomass fuels with high moisture content, different particle sizes and high ash content - Capacities upto 20 MWth

Fluidised bed combustion

A fairly recent innovation entering into the second generation design - Sized particles, large scale applications
-

- suitable for fuels which are dry and small such as saw dust

Dust combustion

Gaseous Fuels from Biomass

Biomethanation/Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic decomposition of biomass through bacterial action CO2 + CH4 ( called BIOGAS) (40%) (60%) (C.V- 20MJ/Nm3) + Nutrient rich organic manure Biomass: Less lignin and more moisture content

Biomass Clean, combustible gas mixture PRODUCER GAS Average composition: CO H2, CH4 CO2 N2 193 18 2 3 1 10 2 balance

Partial Combustion

Gasification

The reactor is called GASIFIER Calorific value (C.V) of Gas~ 4-5 MJ/Nm3, Acceptable limit : Tar < 100mg/ Nm3 P<50mg/ Nm3

Liquid Fuels---Concept & Introduction

Starch/sugar based biomass Straight Vegetable oil (triglycerides of fatty acids) from oil seeds Any Bio fuel

Ethanol

Bio-diesel

Pyrolysis oil

Petrol substitute

Diesel substitute

Fuel oil substitute (later for diesel)

Heat Air ?? Heat Air

Biomass

Volatiles

Charcoal Ash

Condensing Vol. Cracking Cooling & Condensing Oil & Chemicals Useful Carbon Tar Cracking

Air

Producer Gas Tar Removal

Heat

Pyrolysis as we understand today

Why not (!) Straight Vegetable Oils (SVO) ???

Basic constituent of SVO is Triglycerides Small amounts of mono and diglycerides Substantial amounts of oxygenates Free fatty acid O CH 2 O - C- R 1 O CH O C R 2 O CH 2 O C R 3
High Viscosity poor injection characteristics, poor atomisation, inefficient mixing with air, incomplete combustion Oxidative and thermal polymerisation, deposition on injectors

A typical triglyceride molecule

Therefore, engine must be more or less modified or use derivatives

Making of Bio-Diesel (from oil of low fatty acid)

O CH2 O - C- R1 O
CH3OH

CH2 OH CH - OH
Glycerol

CH O C R2 NaOH O (Heating & stirring) CH2 O C R3

Triglycerides

CH2 - OH O Na Na Na
(Na salt of HFA soap)

R1 - C- O CH3 O

R2 C O - CH3 O R3 C O - CH3

Bio-diesel(methyl ester of HFA)

I f p e r c e n ta g e o f F r e e F a tty A c id s (F F A ) a r e m o r e , th e n it w o u ld f o r m s o a p
O R- C- O H
A c id

NaOH C H 3O H

O R- C- O Na (S o a p) + H 2O

FFA
C H 3O H

c a t a ly s t

O R - C - O C H 3 (E s te r)

Recent advancement Two step process using co-solvent (e.g. THF) High conversion efficiency Reaction time 30-35 mins.(lower than 6-7 hrs. for one stage process)

Comparison of SVO and Biodiesel with Diesel

Oil properties D iesel Karanj Kusum Karanj B iodiesel B20
58 7

K usum B iodiesel B20

9

Viscos ity at 0C 40 (cSt ) ( cSt) AST M D44 5 De nsity (kg/ m3) AST M D40 52 - 86 52-

50

844

969

917

861

878

Calo rif ic Value (MJ/kg) AST M D24 0

42

37.99

38.14

40.93

41.12

Flas h Point(0 C) AST M D93 Mo ist ure Co nte nt(wt.%) ( Ka rl- Fisc he r rltitrat io n)

66 0.05

225 11

280 9

160 (B100) 0.62 (B100)

162 (B100) 0.20 (B100)

Biorefinery

Conclusion
Biomass is a source of carbon and hydrogen (with external alterations) It is time for an integrated approach at all levelssmall, medium and large scalefor fuels and chemicals from biomass

Thank You

Properties of Bio-diesel prepared at IIT Bombay:

S.No.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Properties
Kinematic viscosity (cm2/s) Specific gravity @ 300C kg/lit Density @ 300C Moisture content (%) Carbon residue Flash point (0C) Calorific value (kcal/kg) Acid number mgKOH/g Iodine number Copper strip corrosion Carbon (wt %) Hydrogen (wt %) Oxygen (wt %)

Bio-diesel
6.51 0.88 0.875 0.4 0.04 190 8880 0.836 101 No.2 77 12 11