Biomass refers to organic material from living or recently living organisms that can be used as an energy source. It is primarily obtained from plants or biological wastes. Biomass contains stored energy from the sun which is captured through photosynthesis in plants and released when biomass is burned. There are several processes to convert biomass into useable energy forms like heat, electricity, biofuels, or biogas through direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, or anaerobic digestion. These processes break down the biomass chemically or biologically to extract the stored energy. Biomass is a renewable source of energy if harvested and grown sustainably.

1. © Mujeeb-UR-Rahman
NOVEMBER 27, 2019
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology
Jamshoro, Pakistan
Chemical Engineering Department
Presented by: Mujeeb-UR-Rahman 17CH106
ENERGY

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BIOMASS:
Biomass refers to the organic material that is used for productionof energy. The energy
from these organisms can be burned to create heat or converted into electricity.
Biomass is primarily found in the form ofliving or recently living plants and biological
wastes (MSW) Municipal solid waste from industrial and home use. These are called
biomass feedstocks.
Biomass is non-renewable energy source. If it burned directly then it produces lot of
smoke and smell. More CO2 emission also less efficient than other fuels.
Physically composition ofbiomass is inconsistent, but generally includes carbon, water
and organic volatiles.
Exhausted energy can never berenewable energy. Onceit is used it will not reuse again.
Impact on environment like other primary sources.
 Non-renewable energy source.
 Biomass is one of the oldest forms of energy.
 Biomass contains stored energy from the Sun.
 Biomass can be harvested and grown again by the less time unlike Coal, oil, and
gas.
 Biomass can be transported many different ways but it will usually depend onthe
biomass type/form, quantity and who it’s going to.
Feedstock + Process  Useable Energy Form

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PROCESS OF STORED ENERGY
Biomass contains stored energy from Sun. Plants absorb the Sun energy in a process
photosynthesis. When biomass is burned the chemical energy in biomass is released as
heat.
Biomass can be burned to create heat (direct), converted into electricity (direct), or
processed into biofuels or biogas that can be burned as fuel (indirect).
In the process of photosynthesis, plants converts radiant energy from the Sun into
chemical energy in the form of glucose or sugar.
Photosynthesis:
Water + carbon dioxide + sunlight glucose + oxygen
6H2O + 6CO2 + radiant energy C6H12O6N + 6O2
When plant is growing it captures CO2 and H2O into nutrients (carbohydrates).
Old plants which are buried in Earth then converts in Fossils. Plants decaying into carbon
due to high pressure and temperature convert into fuels.
The burning of wood breathes Oxygen from atmosphere, this process is inverse to
photosynthesis.
Breathing:
C6H12O6N + 6O2 6H2O + 6CO2
Different type ofenergy are created through direct firing, co-firing, pyrolysis, gasification,
and anaerobic decomposition.
TORREFACTION:
Before biomass can be burned, however, it must be dried. This chemical process is called
torrefaction. During torrefaction, biomass is heated to about 200o to 320o Celsius.
The biomass dries out so completely that it loses the ability to absorb moisture, or rot. It
loses about 20% of its original mass, but retains 90% of its energy. The lost energy and
mass can be used to fuel the torrefaction process.

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BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESSES:
 COMBUSTION:
The process bywhich flammable materials are burned in the presence of oxygen to release
heat. It is the simplest method bywhich biomass can beused forenergy. In its rudimentary
form, combustion is used for space heating but can also be used to heat steam for
electricity generation.
 GASIFICATION:
Biomass feedstockis heated to more than 700oC (usually MSW) with a controlled amount
of oxygen. The gasification process use heat, pressure and partial combustion to create
syngas, the molecules break down, and produces syngas and slag.
Syngas is the combination of hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO + H2). During
gasification syngas, is cleaned of sulfur, particulates, mercury and other pollutants.
Syngas can be combusted forheat or electricity, or processedinto transportation biofuels,
chemicals and fertilizers.
Slag forms as a glassy, molten liquid. It can be used to make shingles, cement, or asphalt.

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 PYROLYSIS:
Biomass is heated to 200o to 300o C in the absence of oxygen. This keeps it from
combusting and causes the biomass to be chemically altered.
Pyrolysis produces a dark liquid called pyrolysis oil, bio-oil or biocrude, a synthetic gas
called syngas, and a solid residue biochar or charcoal. All of these components can be
used for energy.
Biocrude is a type of tar. It can be combusted to generate electricity and is also used as a
componentin other fuels and plastics. Pyrolysis oil as a possiblealternative to petroleum.
Syngas can be converted into fuel (such as synthetic natural gas). It can also be converted
into methane and used as a replacement for natural gas.
Biochar is a type of charcoal. Carbon-rich solid that is particularly useful in agriculture.
Biochar enriches soil and prevents it from leaching pesticides and other nutrients into
runoff. It is also excellent carbon sink.
 ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OR BIODIGESTION:
Process where microorganisms, usually bacteria, break down material in the absence of
oxygen. Anaerobic decomposition is an important process in landfills, where biomass is
crushed and compressed, creating an anaerobic (or oxygen-poor) environment.
In this process animal dung and water is mixed as ratio 1 : 3 to make slurry.
Bio organisms in the slurry activates and start eating that feed. After 2 to 3 days biogas is
produced.
Biogas is the combination of (CH4+CO2+H2+H2S) which is a valuable energy source.
This methane can replace fossil fuels.

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Manure digested feedstockis content of Nitrogen and Phosphorus which is bestfor plants
as fertilizer.
 FERMENTATION:
Involves the conversion of a plant’s glucose or carbohydrateinto an alcohol or acid. Yeast
or bacteria are added to the biomass material. Ethanol is produced which canuse as diesel.
Fermentation process canbe used as cattle-feed and in the case of sugar cane can be used
as a fuel for boilers or for subsequent gasification.
EXTRACTED FROM BIOMASS
Biofuel
Biomass is the only renewable energy source that can be converted into liquids biofuels
suchas ethanol and biodiesel. Biofuel is used to power vehicles, and is being produced by
gasification.
Biofuel do not operate as efficiently as gasoline. However they can be blended with
gasoline to efficiently power vehicles and machinery, and do not release the emission
associated with fossil fuels.
Biochar
Biochar, produced during pyrolysis, is valuable in agricultural and environment use.
When biomass rots or burns it releases high amount of methane and carbon dioxide into
atmosphere. However, when biomass is charred, it sequesters, orstores, its carboncontent.
When biochar is added back to soil, it can continue to absorb carbon and form large
underground stores of sequestered carbon-carbon-sink- that can lead to negative carbon
emission and healthier soil.
Biochar also helps enrich the soil. It is the porous. When added black to soil, biochar
absorbs and retains water and nutrients.

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Black liquor
When wood is processedinto paper, it produces a high-energy, toxic substance called black
liquor. Until the 1930s, black liquor from paper mills was considered a waste productand
dumped into nearby water sources.
However, black liquor retains more than 50% of the wood’s biomass energy. With the
invention of the recovery boiler in the 1930s, back liquor could be recycled and used to
power the mill.
Algal fuel
Algal is the unique organisms that has enormous potential as a source of biomass energy.
Algal, whose most familiar form is seaweed, produces energy through photosynthesis at a
much quicker rate than any other biofuels feedstocks-up to 30 times faster than food crops.
Algal can be grown in ocean water, so it does not deplete freshwater resources. It also do
not require soil, and therefore do not reduces arable land that could potentially grow food
crops. Itrelease CO2 when it burned, it can be farmed and replenished as a living organism.
As it is replenished, it releases oxygen and carbon emissions.
Algal contains oils that can be converted to a biofuel. Algae is processed with heat and
pressure. This creates a “green crude”, which has similar properties to crude oil, and can
be used as biofuel.
Algae’s growth, photosynthesis, and energy production increases when carbon dioxide is
bubbled through it. Algae is an excellent filter that absorbs carbon emissions. Algae
flourishes with the additional carbondioxide. When the algae die (after about a week) they
are collected, and their lipids (oils) are converted into biofuel or fish food.
THIS IS THE BIOMASS
POWER WITH RESPONSIBILITY