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Biomass Energy
Biomass refers to living or recently living material plants, animals, fungi, bacteria etc. Biomass is an enormous store of energy. Energy contained in about 1/8 part of all the biomass produced in an year can meet all of worlds annual energy demand. Biomass is carbon, hydrogen and oxygen based. As biomass can be re-grown, it is a renewable source of energy. The energy obtained from biomass is known as biomass energy. Animals feed on plants, and plants grow through the photosynthesis process using solar energy. Therefore, photosynthesis process is primarily responsible for generation of biomass energy. A small potion of the solar radiation is captured and stored in plants during the photosynthesis process. Therefore, it is an indirect form of solar energy. The average efficiency of photosynthesis conversion of solar energy into biomass energy is around 0.5 1.0%.
Biomass Energy
The initial biomass may be transformed by chemical or biological processes to produce bio-fuels such as methane, producer gas, ethanol or charcoal. On combustion, these bio-fuels react with oxygen to generate heat energy which can be further transformed to user needs. For biomass to be sustainable and renewable, growth must keep pace with its use. Biomass technology today serves many segments of industry that were developed with fossil fuels and moderately reduces their use. Present uses of biomass energy - Industrial process heat and steam, electrical power generation, transportation fuels (ethanol and biodiesel) etc. Primary focus now is on development of advanced technologies for efficient use of biomass energy. Biomass does not add CO2 to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing the plants as it releases when consumed as fuel. It is a superior fuel as the energy produced from biomass is carbon cycle neutral.
Biomass resources
Biomass
Energy crops
(arid area plantation aquatic crop)
Forest residue
Animal waste
Urban waste
Industrial waste
Photosynthesis process
Solar radiation incident on green plants and other photosynthetic organisms performs two basic functions: Temperature control for chemical reactions to proceed Photosynthesis process The fundamental conversion process in green plants is photosynthesis, which is the process of combining CO2 from the atmosphere with water and light energy to produce oxygen and carbohydrates (sugars, starches, celluloses and hemicelluloses) They are the ultimate source of most of our foods and other necessities of daily life such as cotton clothes, furniture etc. Photosynthesis can be expressed by the reaction: 6CO2 + H2O + light energy
Photosynthesis
C6H12O6 + 6O2
Photosynthesis process
There is a net overall gain of energy in the photosynthesisrespiration process as the rate of energy loss in respiration is much less as compared to the energy gain during photosynthesis process. The process also results in net gain of oxygen and fixation of carbon in the form of biomass. The net energy absorbed from solar radiation during photosynthesis can be measured from its combustion: x CO2 + y H2O + Q
Photosynthesis Combustion
x O2 + Cx (H2O)y
Q is the enthalpy change of the combustion process, equal to the energy absorbed from solar radiation minus the energy of respiration during growth The value of Q is 4.8 eV per carbon atom, or 470 kJ per mole of carbon or 16 MJ/kg of dry carbohydrate material.
Respiration process
The reverse of photosynthesis is called respiration, in which CO2, water and energy are produced using carbohydrates and oxygen. The energy produced in the plants by respiration is used in several processes such as to draw moisture and nutrients through their roots. In green plants, both photosynthesis and respiration occur during the day. During night, only respiration occurs. This cycle of photosynthesis and respiration maintains the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen on earth.
Photosynthesis Occurs in the presence of light and chlorophyll in plant cells Requires energy (light) to make sugar (glucose) Complex substances (sugar) are formed from simpler ones CO2 and water are the raw materials Oxygen is given out Respiration Occurs at all times in cells Releases energy from sugar Complex substances (sugar) are broken down into simpler ones CO2 and water are the waste products Oxygen is taken in
Light energy
Photosynthesis
CO2
Sugar
O2
H2O
Respiration
Energy release
It utilizes the energy of light to split a water molecule into its protons and electrons for photosynthesis. Free oxygen is generated as a by-product of this reaction, and is released into the atmosphere.
Energy plantation
Energy plantation means growing select species of trees and shrubs, specifically meant for fuel, which can be harvested in a relatively short period of time . The fuel wood may be used either directly in wood burning stoves and boilers or processed into methanol, ethanol and producer gas. Energy plantations provide almost inexhaustible renewable sources (with total time constant of 3-8 years only for each cycle) of energy which are essentially local and independent of unreliable and finite sources of fuel . The attractive features of energy plantations are: heat content of wood is similar to that of Indian coal wood is low in sulphur and hence less pollution of atmosphere ash from burnt wood can be used as fertiliser utilization of erosion prone land for raising these plantations helps to reduce wind and water erosion. helps in rural employment generation.
Anaerobic fermentation
Carbon present in biomass may be ultimately divided between fully oxidized CO2 and fully reduced CH4.
Decaying wet biomass
20 55C Anaerobic Fermentation
The biomass material in the form of water slurry is digested by the bacteria anaerobically for several days in an airtight container. The reactions are slightly exothermic and a small amount of heat is also produced (~ 1.5 MJ/kg of digestible material) that helps in maintaining a favourable temperature for the reaction to proceed. The fraction of methane in the biogas depends on the organic matter and the process of conversion and generally varies between 50% and 80%. The process may be accelerated at somewhat higher temperatures. Most useful biomass for anaerobic fermentation are animal manure, algae, kelp, hyacinth, plant residues and other organic waste materials with high moisture content.
Key byproduct of anaerobic fermentation is methane gas which is produced by the bacteria decomposing the organic waste. Methane is captured and used as biogas. CO2 is also produced. There are 3 stages in anaerobic fermentation and at each stage different bacteria play a role.
Fluid zone
Sludge zone
Biogas plants
The biogas plant is a device that converts cattle dung and other organic matter into inflammable gas called biogas and into a good quality organic fertiliser under anaerobic conditions. There are two popular designs of biogas plants: Floating drum (constant pressure) type, and Fixed dome (constant volume) type. Floating drum type biogas plant: This design, developed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission, was standardized in 1961. It comprises of an underground cylindrical masonry digester having an inlet pipe for feeding organic matter slurry and an outlet pipe for sludge. A steel dome, which is provided to collect gas, floats over the slurry. It moves up and down depending upon accumulation and discharge of gas guided by the dome guide shaft.
Mixing tank
Digester
Overflow tank
Biomethane
Compressor
Liquefied Biogas
Off-load connector
Site selection
Affordability