Biomass

Total matter of living beings who live in a specific place, expressed in weight per unit
of area or volume.
Organic matter originated through a biological spontaneous or induced process
usable as an energy source.
It´s the biodegradable fraction of the products and residues of agriculture, forestry
and its industries including the organic fraction of municipal and industrial waste.
Biomass has a renewable energy character and its energy content comes,
ultimately, from the solar energy set by the plants in the photosynthetic process. This
organic matter is renewable when the same speed of consumption occurs, avoiding
the overexploitation of natural resources.
Characteristics
-Low carbon content.
-High oxygen and volatile compounds content.
-Low sulfur content.
-Neutral 𝐶𝑂2 emissions.
-Variable calorific value: Lignocellulosics (3 - 3.5Mcal/kg), urban waste (2 –
2.5Mcal/kg) and biofuels (10Mcal/kg).
Bases
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 + 𝐶𝑂2 + 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 + 𝑁𝑢𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠
↓
𝐶𝑒𝑙𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒, 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑜ℎ𝑦𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑂𝑖𝑙𝑠, 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑠
6𝐶𝑂2 + 6𝐻2 𝑂 → 𝐶6 𝐻12 𝑂6 + 6𝑂2
Classification
-Energic crops.
-Wet residual biomass.
-Dry residual biomass.
-Natural.
Combustion
Exothermic reaction of a fuel with oxygen or a mixture of gases including oxygen.
Properties of fuels
-Composition.
-Calorific value.
-Viscosity.
-Density.
-Flammability limits.
-Flash points or ignition temperature.
-Combustion temperature.
-Sulfur content.
Composition
Is fundamental to determinate the characteristic stoichiometric parameters of the
combustion reaction. Furthermore, establish if is suitable or not for the intended
application in function of the presence of compound which can be harmful or
pollutants.
Gas expressed in volume in normal conditions (1atm, 20°C) and solid or a liquid in
mass per kilogram of fuel.
Viscosity
The viscosity is the opposition of a fluid to tangential deformations and it due to the
cohesion forces of the molecules.
Varies inversely proportional to the temperature.
Density
-Absolute density.
-Relative density.
Flammability limits
Stablished the proportion of gas and air needed to produce the combustion.
It has a lower and upper limit.
Combustion temperature
Its the highest temperature the flame reaches during the combustion.
Flash point or ignition temperature
It’s the minimum temperature the mixture of fuel and oxidizer must reach to produce
the combustion reaction.
Once this temperature is reached, the produced heat will maintain the temperature
over the ignition temperature and the reaction will continue until the fuel or the
oxidizer runs out.
Calorific value
Specific heat (c) [J/gr°C] Cantidad de energía necesaria para aumentar 1°C/gr de
materia.
Calorfic capacity (C) [J/°C] Cuanta energía se necesita para aumentar 1°C cierta
cantidad de masa.
Calorific value [J/gr o J/L] cuanta energía tiene un material o combustible durante la
combustión. It’s the amount of heat a kilogram or a cubic meter of fuel delivers after
full combustion.
Biomass characterization
-Structural characterization.
-Chemical characterization (proximate analysis, elemental analysis).
Structural characterization
-Majority: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin.
-Minority: extractive and ashes.
Chemical characterization
-Proximate analysis: humidity @105°C, volatiles @900°C 7 minutes, ashes @550°C
5 hours and fixed carbon @ fixed carbon resto.
-Ashes analysis: óxidos de calcio, sodio, potasio, fosforo, hierro III, silicio, magnesio,
aluminio, titanio y azufre.
-Elemental analysis: carbono, hidrogeno, oxigeno, nitrógeno, azufre, cloro and dry
ash free.
Bromatologic analysis
Proteins, lignin, carbohydrates; fats and oils.
Physicochemical analysis
-pH, solids, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand and density.
-Solids: Volatiles and fixed.
-Sedimentable and suspended: volatile and fixed.
-Dissolved: volatiles and fixed.
Biogas
By biometanization or anaerobic digestion.
Oxygen free process. Organic matter conversion to, mainly, 𝐶𝐻4 and 𝐶𝑂2.
Commonly in the nature.
The final product of the methanization process is a mixture of gases generated by
microbiological reactions, this mixture is known as biogas.
Calorific value and equivalents
10 tons agro/food residue/wast, 10 tons animal waste, 10MLD sewage or 30𝑚3
effluent.
↓
1000𝑚3 of biogas
↓
4000L gasoline, 30 cylinders LPG cooking for 2000 houses, 1500 units power
lightning for 2000 houses.
With 97% less 𝐶𝑂2 as compared with gasoline.
Sources where we can get biogas
-Livestock and agricultural waste.
-Food industry waste.
-Slaughter house waste.
-Fishing waste.
-Sewage sludge.
-Biofuel industry waste.
-Organic fraction of urban solid waste.
Stages of the process
Anaerobic digestion
Hydrolysis
↓
Acidogenesis
↓
Acetogenesis
 ↓
Methanogenesis
Hydrolysis
The complex compounds of the starting material are broken down into simpler
organic compounds.
Acidogenesis
Soluble organic molecules ferment into compounds which can be directly used by
the methanogenic bacteria (acetic, formic, 𝐻2 ) and reduce organic compounds
(lower fatty acids such propionic, butyric, valeric, lactic and ethanol).
Acetogenesis
While some products of the fermentation can be directly metabolized by the
methanogenic organisms (𝐻2 , 𝐶𝑂2 and acetic), some others must be transformed
into others simpler products.
𝐸𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑙, 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑠, 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑠 → 𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒, ℎ𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑛
Methanogenesis
Hydrogenotrophic, acetoclastic or methylotrophic.
The main factors are:
-Temperature: affects the retention time the digester has.
-pH: between 7.2 and 7.5 (hydrolytic), 7 and 7.2 (acetogenic) and 6.5 and 7.5
(methanogenic). Related to volatile fatty acids.
-Other: mixing, solids content; heavy metals, phenols, ammonium, volatile fatty
acids; and nutrients.
Inhibitors
-Antibiotics and detergents.
-Heavy metals: Cu (>50mg/L), Zn (>150mg/L), Cr (>100mg/L), Ca (>8,000mg/L) and
Na (>8,000mg/L).
-FVA: acetic acid (HAC) >2,000mg/L
-𝐻2 𝑆:>50mg/L
-Ammoniacal nitrogen: 𝑁𝐻4 >3,500mg/L
-Oxygen: 𝑂2>0.1mg/L
 System configuration
One stage: Every stage of
the process takes place in
the same container.
Two stages: Hydrolysis
takes place in a case the system is loaded
separated container.
Operation regime Solid percentage
Continuous: the system is Dry:TS>15% (20% - 40%)
fed continuously.
Discontinuous: in this Wet: TS<15% (7% - 12%)
once and when the
fermentation time is over,
the system gets cleaner
to start over.

Estimations of biogas for manure and residual water (COD and BOD)
𝐶𝑂𝐷
𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑡𝑦 =
𝐵𝑂𝐷
𝐶𝑂𝐷
→ 𝑖𝑓 < 2 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝐵𝑂𝐷
𝐶𝑂𝐷
→ 𝑖𝑓 2 < < 4 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛)
𝐵𝑂𝐷
𝐶𝑂𝐷
→ 𝑖𝑓 > 4 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝐵𝑂𝐷
With the COD concentration we can estimate the amount of 𝐶𝐻4 a substrate can
generate by using the ultimate methane yield [0.35𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4 /𝑘𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷].
Consider 100 ton of chicken manure with a COD of 305,510.51mg/kg and a BOD of
172,172.17mg/kg to calculate the amount of 𝐶𝐻4 it can generate.
First, we calculate the biodegradability.
 𝐶𝑂𝐷 305,510.51
𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 = = = 1.7 < 2
𝐵𝑂𝐷 172,172.17
The biodegradability is high.
Then, we calculate the total COD.
305,510.51𝑚𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷 1000𝑘𝑔
( ) (1000𝑡𝑜𝑛) ( ) = 30551𝑘𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷
𝑘𝑔 1𝑡𝑜𝑛
Then, the 𝐶𝐻4 generation.
0.35𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
( ) (30551𝑘𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷) = 10692.85𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
𝑘𝑔 𝐶𝑂𝐷

60% to 80% efficiency in COD destruction. For the previous example, consider a
70% efficiency.
𝐶𝐻470% = (10692.85𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4 )(0.7) = 7484.995𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
Furthermore, remember that biogas has a methane concentration between 55% -
65%. So, for the previous example consider a 𝐶𝐻4 concentration of 60%.
7484.995𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑠 = = 12474.99𝑚3 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑠
0.6
Determine the biodegradability of 250𝑚3 of residual water with COD of 4928.4mg/L
and a BOD of 2405mg/L. Also estimate the biogas that can be generated in the
efficiency of the process is 75% and a 𝐶𝐻4 concentration of 62%.
𝐶𝑂𝐷 4928.4
𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 = = = 2.05 > 2
𝐵𝑂𝐷 2405
The biodegradability is moderate.
4928.4𝑚𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷 1000𝐿 1𝑔 1𝑘𝑔
( ) (250𝑚3 ) ( 3
)( )( ) = 1232.1𝑘𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷
𝐿 1𝑚 1000𝑚𝑔 1000𝑔
0.35𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
( ) (1232.1𝑘𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷) = 431.24𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
𝑘𝑔𝐶𝑂𝐷

𝐶𝐻470% = (431.24𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4 )(0.75) = 323.43𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4

323.43𝑚3 𝐶𝐻4
𝐵𝑖𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑠 = = 521.66𝑚3 𝑏𝑖𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑠
0.62