SOLID

BIOMASS
 WHAT IS SOLID BIOMASS?
Biomass is fuel that is developed from organic materials, a
renewable and sustainable source of energy used to create
electricity or other forms of power.
 THE PROCESS OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY
IN A WASTE-TO-ENERGY PLANT
1. Waste is dumped from garbage trucks
into a large pit.
2. A giant claw on a crane grabs waste and
dumps it in a combustion chamber.
3. The waste (fuel) is burned, releasing
heat.
4. The heat turns water into steam in a
boiler.
5. The high-pressure steam turns the blades
of a turbine generator to produce
electricity.
6. An air pollution control system removes
pollutants from the combustion gas
before it is released through a smoke
stack.
7. Ash is collected from the boiler and the
air pollution control system.
Forest fuel (fuel wood) is produced directly from forest wood or
plantation wood through mechanical process, the raw material has not
previously had another use (ISO/DIS 16559:2013).

Wood fuels are defined as all types of biofuels originating from woody
biomass, where the original composition of the wood is preserved and
unaltered from its original form (FAO unified bioenergy terminology
(UBET)),

Wood fuels are specified by:

a) origin and source
b) major traded forms and properties
 Class A (Virgin wood,
only mechanically
treated)
Class B (Coated,
lacquered or otherwise
chemically treated and
coating does not
contain halogenated
organic compounds
(for example PVC) and
preservative, no
demolition wood)
Class C (Halogenated
organic compounds for
example PVC in the
coating)
Class D wood is
hazardous waste
 MOISTURE CONTENT
Water content (M) expresses the mass of water present in relation to the mass of
fresh wood. This value describes the quantity of water in the entire moist biomass
(fresh mass). This measure is used in the marketing of wood fuels.
COMPARISON OF COAL AND BIOMASS
The reaction rate constant of the
biomass decomposition models
discussed earlier is usually
described by an Arrhenius-type
equation as follows.

A = pre-exponential or frequency factor,

E = activation energy
R = universal gas constant, and
T = temperature
WOOD PELLETIZATION
PROCESS
 PELLET
Wood pellets are densified wood
fuels which have been produced
from sawdust, grinding dust,
shavings, bark, herbaceous
biomass, fruit biomass, or
biomass blends and mixtures.
etc.
Typical length 5 to 30 mm
Moisture 8-12 %
Density 650-700 kg/m3
LHV 17 MJ/kg 4,7 kWh/kg 3080 kWh/m3

Cost 150-200 /t

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 WOOD PELLET
CHARACTERISTICS
Wood Pellets Bituminous
Property
(Industrial) Coal

Heat Content
15.8 17.0 16.7 26.9
(MMBTU/ton)
Ash Content
2.0 3.3 11.7
(% wt.)
Moisture Content (% < 8.0 (TYP
2.2 15.9
wt.) 4.0-6.0)

Sulfur (% wt.) 0.010 0.015 0.7 4.0

[1]
Average Test Results from various samples of Indeck Ladysmith
Wood Pellet Fuel from 11/2009 02/2010. Tests performed by 3rd
Nitrogen (% wt.) 0.03 1.5 Party Testing Company, Twin Ports Testing, Inc.
[2]
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com
[3]
2008 EIA Monthly Time Series File, EIA-923. Range of coal heat
2.21 E-8 6.91 content in WI power plants only was used.
Mercury (% wt.) 0.16 E-8
E-7 [4]
Walker, Anne. Transport, Storage, and Handling of Coal. IEA Clean
Coal Centre. 2003.
[5]
Davidson, Robert. Nitrogen in Coal. University of Kentucky, Center
Bulk Density (lb/ft3) 45 43 50 for Applied Energy Research. 1994.
[6]
EIA Coal Transportation Sensitivity Analysis, April 2005
 Pellet Production Process

Storing and Drying the Pellet

Pellet cooling
pretreatment raw material storing

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Source :Refined Bio-Fuels Pellets and Briquettes Characteristics, uses and recent innovative production technologies
 THE PELLETS PRODUCTION

1. Raw materials are fed into pellet cavity

2. Rotation of die and roller

pressure forces materials
through die, compressing them
into pellets

3. Pellets are extruded to the outside of the die

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WHY USE WOOD PELLETS FOR CO-FIRING?
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions, CO2
Reduction of SOx
Reduction of NOx
Reduction of harmful heavy
metals, such as mercury and
cadmium
THERMAL PROCESSING OF SOLID
WASTES
 COMBUSTION VS
GASIFICATION VS PYROLYSIS
Combustion occurs with sufficient oxygen to completely oxidize the fuel.
Gasification occurs with insufficient oxygen or steam, so that complete
oxidation does not occur. Pyrolysis occurs in the absence or oxygen.
The typical temperature range for combustion and gasification is 800-1200 oC
and for pyrolysis 350-600oC.
Gasification occurs at lower temperatures than combustion. Therefore,
gasifiers can have longer lifetimes and lower maintenance costs than
combustion plants. Also, air emissions are lower as nitrogen and sulfur oxides
are created only at higher temperatures.
 COMBUSTION VS
GASIFICATION VS PYROLYSIS
 GASIFIER
Biomass gasication occurs through a sequence of complex thermochemical
reactions and hence, it is unrealistic to split the gasier into di erent zones
carrying out many gasication reactions simultaneously.
Fix bed type gasifier is designed to operate at moderate pressure
conditions of 2530 atm.
Drying: ~100oC. Moist feedstock + Heat Dry feedstock + H2O
Pyrolysis: 300oC. Dry feedstock + Heat Char + Volatiles
Combustion: 1100-1500oC. Key role of the products. Pressure,
temperature, and gasifying agents (oxygen, air, and steam) are
very determining.
Reduction: ~1000oC. NOx, SO2, and tar (biggest obstacle). These
are reduced by thermal decomposition, catalyst cracking, and
plasma methods.
 EXERGY ANALYSIS: STUDY
CASE OF SUGARCANE
BAGGASE (Pellegrini, 2005)

B = total exergy ow rate (kW)

Relation between outlet and inlet exergy ow rate, i.e.,
from what is made available, how much is used. It
indicates the total destruction of exergy.

Relation between the exergy of the product (produced

gas) and the exergy available for the process. It might be
called process efciency.

Representing the degree of conversion of biomass

exergy into products (produced gas and unconverted
carbon).

The most stringent criterion. Exergy efciency of the

gasication process.
PROCESS AND MECHANISMS OF ASH
FORMATION
 HOW COULD
WE REDUCE
ASH FROM THE
AIR?
DRY METHODS
Cyclones are rather efficient for the
coarse fraction but have minor effect
on the submicron particles. The
main application for cyclones in
modern biomass plants is as pre-
collectors. A special application is
the cyclones at about 900 C in
circulating fluidized bed boilers
(CFBC).
 DRY ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS (DESP)

Electrostatic precipitator (ESP) is a

filtration device that removes fine
particles, like dust and smoke, from a
flowing gas using the force of an induced
electrostatic charge minimally impeding
the flow of gases through the unit