Biomass and biofuels energy Flashcards
What type of biofuel was humanities early source of energy
wood
Define biomass
Biomass is derived from the photosynthesis process, encompassing a wide range of organic source such as plant and animal life, and residues
What are types of residues that make biomass
agricultural, industrial, forestry, municipal solid waste, and sewage
List types of biomass
wood, crops, waste types. These three contain compounds like Sugars, Starch, Cellulose, Hemicellulose,
Lignin, Resins, and Tannins
Biomass is combustible, when burned it releases heat that can be used for
commercial heat
electricity generation
transportation fuels
What are the advantages of biomass as a fuel
carbon neutrality
low sulfur content
low nitrogen content
What are the three types of conversions that plant biomass undergoes
physical conversion
thermochemical conversion
biological conversion
Describe how physical conversion of biomass works
biomass is squeezed to extract oil for combustion - plant-based. This can be done with heat to enhance the extraction
Describe how biological conversion of biomass works - there’s 2 types
There are two methods: anaerobic digestion (digesters produce biogas) and fermentation (produce alcohols from plants such as ethanol which can be used as fuel or burner gas)
Describe how thermochemical conversion of biomass works
combustion, gasification and pyrolysis enables efficient use of biomass, converting it to heat, gases or bio-oil depending on oxygen levels and temperature
What are the three types of thermochemical processes
combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis
describe combustion
directly burns biomass to generate heat
describe pyrolysis
converts biomass into bio-oil and other products without combustion by heating it in an oxygen-free environment
describe gasification
high-temperature reaction with limited oxygen, producing a mix of gases (N₂, CO, H₂, CO₂) with minimal ash. will produce syngas
What is the key difference between combustion, gasification and pyrolysis
oxygen in the reaction
combustion has complete burning with excess oxygen. Gasification has partial oxidation with limited oxygen. Pyrolysis is heating in the absence of oxygen.
Fill in the blanks:
Combustion overview:
A burning process involving an ____________ reaction between fuel and oxygen. Products include heat, light, water vapor, and ____.
Conditions for combustion: requires fuel, oxygen and an __________ source.
All hydrogen and carbon in fuel react with oxygen to __________ energy release. The applications are heating, power generation, and ________ management.
exothermic
CO2
ignition
maximize
waste
Fill in the blanks:
Pyrolysis overview: Thermal decomposition of organic materials in the __________ of oxygen, occurring at 400-800°C. The purpose and application is to convert ________ material into fuels and chemicals. It is widely applied in _______ management and energy production. How it works: organic feedstock is ___________, breaking down into complex molecules into simpler compounds. The product yield and composition depend on __________ type and pyrolysis conditions
absence
organic
waste
heated
feedstock
Chose between combustion, gasification and pyrolysis. Which has the highest AFR? Which has the lowest AFR. Which goes to the highest temperature and which goes to the lowest?
Highest AFR and temp is combustion
Lowest AFR and temp is is pyrolysis.
Gasification is in the middle
What are the generational classifications of the biofuels
first generation, second generation, third generation, and fourth generation
What does first generation include
food and some agriculture wastes
What does second generation include
non-food wastes
What does third generation include
algae
What does fourth generation include
all wastes from food to industrial and chemical
What’s the 3S
Source: biomass
System: pyrolysis, combustion
Service: biofuels
What is the processes of conversion of non lignin plants
Fermentation - ethanol
biodigestion - biogas
What is the processes of conversion for lignin plants
liquefaction - liquid fuel
combustion - heat
mechanical - firewood
carbonization - charcoal
gasification - methanol and fuel gas
What is the processes of conversion of organic residues
liquefaction - liquid fuel
combustion - heat
carbonization - charcoal
gasification - methanol and fuel gas
biodigestion - bio gas
What is the process of conversion of biofluids
cracking and esterification - biodiesel
