Biomass Energy Resourses; Mechanism of green plant photosynthesis, effiency of conversion, solar energy plantation, Biogas- Types of Biogas plants, factors affecting production rates, Pyrolysis, Gasifess Types & Classification of vegetable oils a a liquid fuel and their properties, esterification process, formation of Biodiesel, Biodiesel & its properties, suitable species for Biodiesel formation and its cultivation, byproduct formation during esterification, Biodiesel economics.

1. Biofuels
By
Prof. Ashish Bandewar

2. Biofuels
• Biomass is one of the few renewable sources for
transportation fuels
• Biofuels produce fewer emissions than petroleum
fuels
• The three main types of biofuels are :-
• Ethanol
• Biodiesel
• Biogas

3. Ethanol: a form of Biofuel
• Also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol.
• Made from the starch in certain grains, such as wheat,
corn etc.
• Its production begins with the grinding up of biomass
such as wheat or corn.
• The starch or cellulose is converted into sugar.
• The sugar is then fed into microbes that use it for food,
producing ethanol in the process.
Ethanol Uses :--
• Most gasoline mixtures contain about 10 percent
ethanol and 90 percent gasoline.
• All vehicles are equipped to handle this mixture.
• Such a mixture reduces greenhouse gases by up to 4
percent.

4. E85 Fuel
• Fuel containing 85 % gasoline and 15 % ethanol can
be used in flexible fuel vehicles.
• Use of this fuel reduces the emission of
greenhouse gases by up to 37 percent.
• Considered as an alternative fuel under the Energy
Policy Act of 1992.
• Vehicles that run on E85 are called Flexible Fuel
Vehicles (FFV).
• Many vehicle manufacturers offer FFVs. Ford,
Mercedes, GM and Chrysler all offer FFVs.
• Reduces Petroleum Consumption- Using E85
reduces dependence on foreign oil markets.

5. Bio-Energy
• Bioenergy is renewable energy made available from
materials derived from biological sources.
• Biomass is any organic material, may include wood,
wood waste, straw, manure, sugar cane and many
other byproducts from a variety of agricultural
processes.

6. STORAGE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY BY
PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN GREEN PLANTS (ORIGIN
OF BIOMASS)
• The origin of biomass energy resources is
through the Photosynthesis in green plants
under sunlight.
• Photosynthesis means synthesis of chemicals
using light.
• Green plants consume atmospheric carbon-
dioxide gas, moisture, minerals and water
from earth/water and photo energy from the
sunlight and produce biomass containing
energy.

8. Biomass Energy
Biomass:
– renewable organic matter
– produced by plants through photosynthesis.
– It can be converted into useful forms of
energy through different conversion routes.
– It is a source of ‘5F’
Food, Fodder, Fuel, Fiber and Fertilizer.

9. BIOMASS TERMINOLOGY
• Biomass
Biomass is biological material derived from
living, or recently living organisms.
The term equally apply to both animal and vegetable
derived material, but in the context of energy, it refers to
plant based material.
• Biomass Energy
Energy obtained from biomass is called
biomass energy.
• Bio-fuel
Fuels produced from Biomass (bio-gas, biodiesel).

10. Biomass
• Biomass is organic matter produced by plants –
terrestrial and aquatic – and their derivatives.
• It includes dead trees, tree branches, rotting
garbage, agricultural and human wastes like
sugarcane, grasses and wood chips.
• Energy derived from biomass is mostly used to
generate electricity or to produce heat.
• Biomass is found easily all over the world. It can be
chemically and biochemically treated to convert it
to a energy-rich fuel.

11. Biomass Energy
• Biomass continues to account for an estimated
1/3rd of primary energy use, while in the poorest
counties up to 90% of all energy is supplied by
biomass
• Biomass energy, or bio energy is the conversion of
biomass (organic material originating from plants,
trees, and crops and essentially the collection and
storage of the sun’s energy through photosynthesis)
into useful forms of energy such as heat, electricity,
and liquid fuels

12. Types of Biomass

13. Sources of Biomass

14. Sources of Biomass
• Land
– Agriculture waste
– Energy plantation
– Forest
• Aquatic
– Plants (e.g. hyacinth)
– Algae

15. • In all these biomass Energy is stored in
the form of complex organic compounds
of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.
• The biomass can be converted to useful
energy forms such as:
– Heat
– Gaseous fuel
– Solid fuels
– Organic chemical
– Liquid fuels

16. Some idea about Biomass Sources
• Every year, the agricultural industry produces
millions of tons of waste that could be utilized for
energy production.
• In addition, the forest products industry also
produces countless tons of waste that can be used
as an energy source.
• Energy crops, such as willows and switch grass can
be grown for the specific purpose of energy
production.
• Farmers grow corn and soybeans that can be used
for ethanol production

17. How Biomass Works?

18. Energy Plantations
• Growing of selected species of tree and plants on a short
rotation basis on waste or arable land for energy
generation point of view e.g.
– Acacia nilotica (Babul, grows even in wasteland)
– Dalbergia Sissoo (Sheesham, high calorific value, up to 4900
kcal/kg)
– Prosopis Juliflora (Vilayati Babul, Root up to 50m)
– Albizzia Lebbeck (Siris)

19. Energy Plantations
(aquatic)
• Growing of floating water plants e.g., water
hyacinth in
rivers, lakes, ponds etc in tropical / sub-tropical
area (yield 25 T(dry)/ha/yr)

20. • Biomass energy is well known since
dawn of agricultural age.
– Wood, cow dung etc. are used as fuels
particularly in rural and tribal areas.
• Biomass energy is produced in green
plants by photosynthesis in presence of
sun light.
• Other living organisms consume green
plants or their products and generate
biomass.

21. • Biomass cycle maintains the
environmental balance of oxygen,
carbon- dioxide, rain etc.
• Biomass energy technology is an
environment friendly technology.
• Biomass is being used for production at
process heat, electricity, gaseous, liquid
and solid fuels etc.

22. SCOPE OF BIOMASS
• Rural applications of biomass energy.
• Urban and industrial applications of biomass
energy.
• Biomass as a primary source for large scale
electrical power generation.
• Present contribution of biomass energy is between
4% to 18% of total energy consumption of various
countries.
• It is expected by 2015 it will become 25% - 40% as
disposal of agriculture byproduct is becoming a
serious threat to environment.

23. Present State of Biomass Energy in India
• 3,500 MW of power generation through biogases
based cogeneration in sugar mills.
• 537 MW has so far been commissioned
• 536 MW is under installation

24. Typical composition of biogas
Matter %
Methane, CH4 50-75
Carbon dioxide, CO2 25-50
Nitrogen, N2 0-10
Hydrogen, H2 0-1
Hydrogen sulfide, H2S 0-3
Oxygen, O2 0

25. A Typical Power-plant

26. What is Bioenergy ?
• The energy stored in biomass is called bioenergy.
• Bioenergy is very versatile: It can be used to
provide heat, make fuels, and generate electricity.

27. How Much Biomass is Out There?
• “INDIA” has enough land and agricultural networks
to sustainably replace half of the nation’s gasoline
use or all of its nuclear energy.
• Millions of tons of unused agricultural waste,
manure, and sawdust has the potential to generate
energy.

28. Biomass Energy Conversion Technologies
Biomass energy conversion technologies/applications
include:
1) Direct Combustion
2) Pyrolysis
3) Gasification
4) Chemical conversion

31. 1. DIRECT COMBUSTION
• Biomass can be burned directly in waste-to-energy
plants without any chemicals processing to
produce steam for making electricity.
• Direct combustion and co-firing with coal for
electricity production from biomass has been
found to be a promising method in the nearest
future.
• Also biomass can be burned to provide heat for
industries and homes.

32. 2.PYROLYSIS
• Pyrolysis of biomass is thermal decomposition of
the organic matters in the absence of oxygen.
• Pyrolysis is a relatively slow chemical reaction
occurring at low temperatures to convert biomass
to a more useful fuel such as hydrocarbon rich gas
mixture and a carbon rich solid residue.
• The main products of biomass pyrolysis depend on
the temperature, heating rate, particle size and
catalyst used.
• The main pyrolysis reaction is
Biomass → Charcoal + Volatile matter

33. 3. GASIFICATION
• Gasification is the thermo chemical conversion of
biomass into gaseous fuels by means of partial
oxidation of the biomass at high temperatures.
• The combustion products from complete
combustion of biomass generally contain nitrogen,
water vapor, carbon dioxide and surplus of oxygen.
• However in gasification where there is a surplus of
solid fuel (incomplete combustion) the products of
combustion are combustible gases like Carbon
monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2) and traces of
Methane and non-useful products like tar and dust.

34. • The production of these gases is by reaction of
water vapor and carbon dioxide through a glowing
layer of charcoal.
• Thus the key to gasifier design is to create
conditions such that
a) biomass is reduced to charcoal and,
b) charcoal is converted at suitable temperature to
produce CO and H2 and O2.

35. Types of Gasifiers 1. Fixed bed Gasifiers
Updraught or counter current gasifier
The oldest and simplest type of gasifier is the counter current
or updraught gasifier

36. • Air enters below the combustion zone
• Producer gas leaves near the top
• Easy to built and operate
• Gas produced has practically no ash but contains
tar and water vapour because of passing of gas
through un-burnt fuel
• Suitable for tar free fuel like charcoal

37. Advantages
• simplicity, high charcoal burn-out and internal heat
exchange
• high equipment efficiency,
Drawbacks
• possibility of "channelling" in the equipment,
which can lead to oxygen break-through and
dangerous, explosive situations.
• necessity to install automatic moving grates.

38. Downdraught or co-current Gasifiers

39. • Air enters at the combustion zone
• Gas produced leaves at near the bottom of the
gasifiers
• Volatile and tar produced has to pass through the
reaction zone, where they cracked and gasified
• Gas produced contains more of the ash and less tar
• Suitable for fuels like wood and agriculture waste
• May used to generate power upto 150 KW
• Cheap and easy to make

40. Cross-draught gasifier

41. • An adaptation for the use of charcoal.
• Charcoal gasification results in very high
temperatures (1500 °C and higher) in the oxidation
zone which can lead to material problems.
• insulation against these high temperatures is
provided by the fuel (charcoal) itself.
Advantages
• Installations below 10 kW (shaft power) can under
certain conditions be economically feasible.
• gas-cleaning train (only a cyclone and a hot filter)
which can be employed when using this type of
gasifier in conjunction with small engines.

42. disadvantage
• minimal tar-converting capabilities and the
consequent need for high quality (low volatile
content) charcoal.

43. 2. Fluidized bed gasifier
• The operation of both up and downdraught
gasifiers is influenced by the morphological,
physical and chemical properties of the fuel.
Problems commonly encountered are: lack of
slagging and extreme pressure drop over the
gasifier
• A design approach aiming at the removal of the
above difficulties is the fluidized bed gasifier

45. • Air is blown through a bed of solid particles at a sufficient
velocity to keep these in a state of suspension.
• The bed is originally externally heated and the feedstock is
introduced as soon as a sufficiently high temperature is
reached.
• The fuel particles are introduced at the bottom of the
reactor, very quickly mixed with the bed material and almost
instantaneously heated up to the bed temperature.
• Fuel is pyrolysed very fast, resulting in a component mix with
a relatively large amount of gaseous materials. Further
gasification and tar-conversion reactions occur in the gas
phase. Most systems are equipped with an internal cyclone
in order to minimize char blow-out as much as possible. Ash
particles are also carried over the top of the reactor and
have to be removed from the gas stream if the gas is used in
engine applications.

46. • The major advantages of this is flexibility in feedstock
resulting from easy control of temperature, which can be
kept below the melting or fusion point of the ash (rice
husks), and their ability to deal with fluffy and fine grained
materials (sawdust etc.) without the need of pre-processing.
Problems with feeding, instability of the bed and fly-ash
sintering in the gas channels can occur with some biomass
fuels.
• Other drawbacks of the fluidized bed gasifier lie in the rather
high tar content of the product gas (up to 500 mg/m³ gas),
the incomplete carbon burn-out, and poor response to load
changes.
• Particularly because of the control equipment needed to
cater for the latter difficulty, very small fluidized bed gasifiers
are not foreseen and the application range must be
tentatively set at above 500 kW (shaft power).

47. CHEMICAL CONVERSION
• Biomass can be converted into gas or liquid fuels
by using chemicals or heat.
• In India cow manure is converted to methane gas
to produce electricity.
• Methane gas can be converted to methanol, a
liquid form of methane.

49. Main Advantages of Biomass Energy
• Indigenous source
• Economic development opportunities in rural areas
• The pollutant emissions from combustion of
biomass are usually lower than those from fossil
fuels
• Commercial use of biomass
• Improve fertility of soil

50. Environmental Advantages
• Renewable resource
• Reduces landfills
• Protects clean water supplies
• Reduces acid rain and smog
• Reduces greenhouse gases
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane

51. Disadvantages of Biomass Energy
• It is dispersed and land intensive as a source
• It is often of low energy density
• It is labour intensive and the cost of collecting large
quantities for commercial application is significant

52. Fuel Properties of Biogas
Calorific Value
60% Methane : 22.350 to 24.22 MJ/m3.
Without CO2 : 33.525 to 35.390 MJ/m3.
Octane rating without CO2 : 130
Octane rating with CO2 : 110
Ignition temperature : 6500 C
Air to methane ratio for complete
Combustion (by volume) : 10 to 1
Explosive limits to air (by volume) : 5 to 15

53. Applications
• Anaerobic digestion is used for effluent and
sewage treatment.
• Anaerobic digestion is a simple process that can
greatly reduce the amount of organic matter which
might otherwise be destined to be landfilled or
burnt in an incinerator.
• Almost any organic material can be processed with
anaerobic digestion. This includes biodegradable
waste materials such as waste paper, grass
clippings, leftover food, sewage and animal waste.
• Anaerobic digesters can also be fed with specially
grown energy crops such as silage for dedicated
biogas production.

54. Biogas plants used in India
1.Janata Biogas Plant

55. • Fixed dome type
• Developed by planning & action division Lucknow
1978
• Very economical is design.
• Works with the constant volume principle.
• Main structure is made up of brick and cement
masonry.
• Doesn't have any moving parts so it is safe from
wear and tear.
• The operating pressure varies from 0 to 100 cm of
water column. It is also known as Janata model
• The unit cost with a capacity of 2 m3/day costs
approximately Rs.14, 000 - 00.

56. 2. Deenbandhu Biogas Plant (Fixed dome type)

57. • Was developed in 1984, by Action for Food Production
(AFPRO), a voluntary organization based in New Delhi.
• Reduced the cost of the plant half of that of KVIC
model
• The cost reduction has been achieved by minimizing
the surface area through joining the segments of two
spheres of different diameters at their bases.
• The cost of a Deenbandhu plant having a capacity of 2
m3/day is about Rs.8000-00.
• The Deenbandhu biogas plant has a hemispherical
fixed-dome type of gas holder, unlike the floating
dome of of the KVIC-design
• About 90 percent of the biogas plants in India are of
the Deenbandhu type.

58. KVIC Biogas Plant (KVIC- Khadi Village Industries
Commission)

59. • Floating dome type
• Mainly consists of a digester or pit for fermentation
and a floating drum for the collection of gas
• Digester depth and diameter 3.5-6.5 m and 1.2 to
1.6 m.
• Partition wall in the center, which divides the
digester vertically and submerges in the slurry
when it is full.
• Inlet and outlet, the dung is mixed with water (4:5)
• The fermented material will flow out through
outlet pipe to compost pit.

60. • Drum constructed of mild steel sheets with
cylindrical in shape with concave.
• The top is supported radically with angular iron.
The holder fit into the digester like a stopper.
• It sinks into the slurry due to its own weight and
rests upon the ring constructed for this purpose.
• The gas pressure varies between 7 and 9 cm of
water column.
• The cost of drum is about 40% of total cost of
plant. It requires periodical maintenance. The unit
cost of KVIC model with a capacity of 2 m3/day
costs approximately Rs.14,000 - 00.

61. Application of biogas
One cubic meter of biogas can do the following
operations:
• It can illuminate a mantle lamp (60 W) for a period
of 7 hours.
• It can be used for cooking three meals for a family
of five.
• It can run 2 hp engine for one hour.
• It can run 100 lt. capacity refrigerator for 9 hours.
• It can generate electricity of 1.25 KWH.

64. Biodiesel
• Made by transforming animal fat or vegetable oil
with alcohol .
• Fuel is made from rapeseed (canola) oil or soybean
oil or recycled restaurant grease.
• It is directly used in place of diesel either as neat
fuel or as an oxygenate additive

66. Biodiesel can be used in existing
Diesel Engines
• Pure Biodiesel (B100) or blended with petroleum diesel
(B20, BXX).
• Rudolf Diesel: peanut oil.
• Little or no engine modifications
• Use existing fuel distribution network.
• Available now

67. Environmental Issues
• Burning fossil fuels increases atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide
• Fossil fuels are a
finite resource
Biodiesel’s Closed
Carbon Cycle
30% Increase

68. Relative Greenhouse Gas Emissions
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Gasoline
CNG
LPG
Diesel
Ethanol 85%
B20
Diesel Hybrid
Electric
B100
Data from “A Fresh Look at CNG: A Comparison of Alternative
Fuels”, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program, 8/13/2001
B100 = 100% Biodiesel
B20 = 20% BD + 80% PD

69. ** B100 (100% biodiesel) with NOx adsorbing catalyst on vehicle
Relative emissions: Diesel and Biodiesel
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Total Unburned HCs
CO
Particulate Matter
**NOx
Sulfates
PAHs
n-PAHs
Mutagenicity
CO2
Percent
B100 **
B20
Diesel

71. After Glycerin removal, biodiesel now just needs to be
cleaned/purified before use:

72. Methods of Bio-Diesel production from oil
• Pretreatment (seed selection, oil extraction).
a) If % FFA < 4 ( single phase Method)
• Trans-esterification.

73. b) If % FFA > 4 (Two phase Method)

74. Jatropha Tree
• Biodiesel from Jatropha.
• Seeds of the Jatropha nut is
crushed and oil is extracted
• The oil is processed and
refined to form bio-diesel.

75. Biodiesel Benefits
• The roll of biodiesel is not to replace the petroleum
diesel, but to help create a balanced energy policy
• Biodiesel is one of several alternative fuels
designed to extend the usefulness of petroleum
and the longevity
Benefits are
• Easy to use:-
 No vehicle modifications or special fuelling equipment
is needed.
• Power, Performance and Economy:-
 Proven performance and economy make biodiesel a
renewable winner.

76. • Emissions & Greenhouse Gas Reduction:-
 With lower exhaust emissions biodiesel is helping to
reduce pollution and improve health. Lower CO2
emission help reduce the impact of Global warning.
• Energy balance & security:-
 Biodiesel helps reduce the need for foreign oil.
• Economical Development:-
 Biodiesel helps communities by keeping energy RUPEES
at home.

77. Advantages of Biodiesel as a fuel
• Renewable, Biodegradable, Non toxic, portable
• Economical if excessive production.
• Less polluting than diesel.
• Lack of sulfur – Extends life of catalytic converters.
• Blended with other energy resource & oil.
• Distributed with existing diesel pumps.
• Lubricating property – Lengthen lifetime of engine.
• Successfully passed all health effects testing – 1990
clean air act amendments.

78. Disadvantages of Biodiesel as a fuel
• One and half time expensive.
• Damage Rubber Hoses in some engines.
• Cleans dirt from engine – collected in fuel
filter – clogging.

79. India
• Sources of ethanol:
• Sugarcane
• Molasses (From Sugarcane)
• Agricultural waste
• Low average cost of Rs.18/litre projected
• Annual production capacity of 1.5 Billion
litres

80. • Sources of biodiesel:
• Honge (Pongamia oil)
• Jatropha
• High capital, broad scale production plan
initiated
• Cost per liter projected at Rs. 27
India (Contd.)