Renewable Energy Technology
(RET)
CH5210
Lecture 5: Bio- Fuels
Presented by :
Dr. Pradeep Kumar
Associate Professor (CHD, IIT BHU)
Contents
Introduction
Bio-fuel classification
Combustion
Pyrolysis
Gasification
Other thermo-chemical process
Production of alcohol and biogas
Biofuels
Biofuels are drawing increasing attention worldwide as substitutes
for petroleum-derived transportation fuels to help address energy
cost, energy security and global warming concerns associated with
liquid fossil fuels.
The term biofuel is used here to mean any liquid fuel made from
plant material that can be used as a substitute for petroleum-derived
fuel.
Biofuels can include relatively familiar ones, such as;
1. Ethanol made from sugar cane or;
2. Diesel-like fuel made from soybean oil;
3. To less familiar fuels such as dimethyl ether (DME) or Fischer-
Tropsch liquids (FTL) made from lignocellulosic biomass.
Why Biofuels have become a key issue?
Energy security (increasing oil prices, need for alternative source of
energy)
To decrease greenhouse gas emission.
To promote rural development.
Bio-Fuel Classification
A relatively recently popularized classification for liquid biofuels
includes:-
First-generation;
Second-generation;
Third-generation and;
Fourth-generation biofuels.
There are no strict technical definitions for these terms.
The main distinction between them is the feedstock used.
Bio-Fuels
Classification
First-Generation Biofuels
"First-generation" or conventional biofuels are biofuels made from food
crops grown on arable land.
With this biofuel production generation, food crops are thus explicitly grown
for fuel production, and not anything else.
The sugar, starch, or vegetable oil obtained from the crops is converted into
biodiesel or ethanol, using trans-esterification, or yeast fermentation.
First-Generation Biofuels Pros and Cons
Second-Generation Biofuels
Second generation biofuels are fuels manufactured from various types
of biomass.
Second generation biofuels are made from lignocellulosic biomass or
woody crops, agricultural residues or waste plant material (from food crops
that have already fulfilled their food purpose).
This has both Advantages and Disadvantages
The advantage is that, unlike with regular food crops, no arable land is used
solely for the production of fuel.
The disadvantage is that unlike with regular food crops, it may be rather
difficult to extract the fuel.
For instance, a series of physical and chemical treatments might be required
to convert lignocellulosic biomass to liquid fuels suitable for transportation.
Third-Generation Biofuels
Extract mainly from algae, mainly marine algae.
UNH Biofuels Group, offers estimates for the realistic replacement of
all vehicular fuel with biofuels by using algae that have a natural oil content greater
than 50%, which Briggs suggests can be grown on algae ponds at wastewater
treatment plants.
This oil-rich algae can then be extracted from the system and processed into
biofuels, with the dried remainder further reprocessed to create ethanol.
The production of algae to harvest oil for biofuels has not yet been undertaken on a
commercial scale, but feasibility studies have been conducted to arrive at the above
yield estimate.
Many companies are pursuing algae bioreactors for various purposes, including
scaling up biofuels production to commercial levels.
Commercial Uses of Algae
Algae Production at Lab Level
Fourth-generation biofuels
Similarly to third-generation biofuels, fourth-generation biofuels are made using
non-arable land.
However, unlike third-generation biofuels, they do not require the destruction of
biomass.
This class of biofuels includes electrofuels and photobiological solar fuels.
Some of these fuels are carbon-neutral.
The conversion of crude oil from the plant seeds into useful fuels is called trans-
esterification.
Bio- Fuel
Conversion
Methods
Combustion
Combustion
Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical
reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric
oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as
smoke.
In fact the first people who produced biomass energy through the burning were
early humans. This method is not very useful in terms of efficiency and
productivity.
The fire triangle
What is needed for the combustion to take place?
COMBUSTION PROCESS…
A chemical reaction…
FUEL: PHOTOSYNTHESIS
(storage of chemical energy)
Solar Energy + CO2 + H2O
(C6H10O5)n +O + Ignition CO2 + H2O + HEAT
Temperature (+ gases + char + ash)
COMBUSTION
(conversion of stored energy to thermal, radiant, kinetic
energy)
Decay
THE PHASES OF COMBUSTION
1) Pre-Ignition: Thermal degradation of the fuel.
2) Ignition: Transition between pre-ignition and combustion.
3) Combustion: Smoldering / glowing, Flaming.
4) Extinction: Termination of combustion
Gasification
In this method biomass is heated in the absence of oxygen.
The product is mixed with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which is called
Syngas.
The outcome product will be synthesized with oxygen easily and can be used in
turbines, boilers, etc. as a fuel.
Gasification Reactions
Drying: Biomass fuels usually contain 10%–35% moisture. When biomass is heated to
about 100 °C, the moisture is converted into steam.
Pyrolysis: The biomass is decomposed or separated into solids, liquids, and gases.
Charcoal is the solid part, tar is the liquid part, and flue gases make up the gaseous
part.
Oxidation: Air is introduced into the gasifier after the decomposition process.
During oxidation charcoal, or the solid carbonized fuel reacts with the oxygen in the
air to produce carbon dioxide and heat.
C + O2 → CO2 + heat
Reduction: At higher temperatures and under reducing conditions , that is when not
enough oxygen is available.
C + CO2 → 2 CO
C + H2O → CO + H2
CO + H2O → CO2 + H2
C + 2H2 → CH4
Types of Gasifiers
Classification based on the density factor:
(a) Dense phase reactors.
(b) Lean phase reactors.
Dense phase Reactors
Feedstock fills most of the space in the reactor.
Common, available in different designs depending upon the
operating conditions.
Three types: downdraft, updraft, and cross-draft.
Downdraft or Co-current Gasifiers
•In downdraft gasifiers, the pyrolysis
zone is above the combustion zone and
the reduction zone is below the
combustion zone.
•Fuel is fed from the top.
•The flow of air and gas is downwards
(hence the name) through the
combustion and reduction zones.
Updraft or Counter-current Gasifier
•In updraft air enters from below the grate
and flows upwards, whereas the fuel flows
downwards.
•An updraft gasifier has distinctly defined
zones for partial combustion, reduction,
pyrolysis, and drying.
•The gas produced in the reduction zone
leaves the gasifier reactor together with the
products of pyrolysis from the pyrolysis
zone and steam from the drying zone.
Cross- Draft Gasifier
•In a cross-draft gasifier, air enters from one
side of the gasifier reactor and leaves from the
other.
•Cross-draft gasifiers have a few distinct
advantages such as compact construction and
low cleaning requirements.
•cross-draft gasifiers do not need a grate; the
ash falls to the bottom and does not come in
the way of normal operation.
Lean phase reactors
1. Fluidized Bed Gasifiers
2. Entrained-Flow Gasifiers
Fluidized Bed Gasifiers
In fluidized bed gasifiers, the biomass is brought into an inert bed of
fluidized material
The fuel is fed into the fluidized system either above-bed or directly
into the bed, depending upon the size and density of the fuel and how
it is affected by the bed velocities.
Fluidized Bed Gasifiers
Fluidized bed gasifiers are better
than dense phase reactors in that
they produce more heat in short time
due to the abrasion phenomenon
between inert bed material and
biomass, giving a uniformly high
(800–1000 ºC) bed temperature.
Entrained-Flow Gasifiers
•In entrained-flow gasifiers, fuel and air are
introduced from the top of the reactor, and fuel is
carried by the air in the reactor.
•The operating temperatures are 1200–1600 °C
and the pressure is 20–80 bar.
•Entrained-flow gasifiers can be used for any
type of fuel so long as it is dry (low moisture)
and has low ash content.
•Due to the short residence time (0.5–4.0
seconds), high temperatures are required for
such gasifiers.
Advantages and Disadvantages of different Gasifier
Types
Pyrolysis
Simplified depiction of pyrolysis chemistry.
Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of materials at elevated temperatures in an
inert atmosphere.
It involves the change of chemical composition and is irreversible. The word is
coined from the Greek-derived elements pyro "fire" and lysis "separating".
Pyrolysis is most commonly applied to the treatment of organic materials. It is one
of the processes involved in charring wood, starting at 200–300 °C (390–570 °F).
In general, pyrolysis of organic substances produces volatile products and leaves a
solid residue enriched in carbon, char.
Extreme pyrolysis, which leaves mostly carbon as the residue, is
called carbonization.
Synthetic diesel fuel by pyrolysis of organic materials is not yet economically
competitive.
The low quality of oils produced through pyrolysis can be improved by physical and
chemical processes.
Types of Pyrolysis
Products of Pyrolysis
Depending on the thermal environment and the final temperature, pyrolysis will
yield
Biochar at low temperatures, less than 4500C, when the heating rate is
quite slow.
Gases at high temperatures, greater than 800 0C, with rapid heating rates.
At an intermediate temperature and under relatively high heating rates,
the main product is bio-oil.
Thermochemical biofuels production steps
Production of
Alcohol and Biogas
from Biofuels
What are alcohols?
Belong to a homologous series of organic compounds similar to alkanes
and alkenes.
The hydrocarbon chains contain the functional group -OH (hydroxyl
group).
Physical properties of Alcohols
Alcohols are soluble in water but their solubility decreases as their
molecular size increases.
Unlike the alkanes and alkenes, the first four alcohols are liquid at room
temperature and pressure.
Although alcohols contain the –OH group, they are not alkalis. In fact, they
are all neutral.
Production of Alcohol from Bio-fuels
Biologically produced alcohols, most ethanol and less commonly
propanol and butanol, are produced by the action
of microorganisms and enzymes through the fermentation of sugars or starches
(easiest), or cellulose (which is more difficult).
Bio-butanol (also called bio-gasoline) is often claimed to provide a direct
replacement for gasoline, because it can be used directly in a gasoline engine.
Alcohol fuels are produced by fermentation of sugars derived
from wheat, corn, sugar beets, sugar cane, molasses and any sugar or starch from
which alcoholic beverages such as whiskey, can be made (such
as potato and fruit waste, etc.).
Ethanol fuel is the most common biofuel worldwide, particularly in Brazil.
The ethanol production methods used are enzyme digestion, fermentation of the
sugars, distillation and drying.
Ethanol can be used in petrol engines as a replacement for gasoline; it can be mixed
with gasoline to any percentage.
Most existing car petrol engines can run on blends of up to 15% bioethanol with
petroleum/gasoline.
Ethanol has a smaller energy density than that of gasoline; this means it takes more
fuel (volume and mass) to produce the same amount of work.
Uses of Alcohol
Application and ways of bio-Alcohols
Production of Biogas from Biofuels
Biogas is the gaseous emissions from anaerobic degradation of organic matter (from
plants or animals) by a consortium of bacteria.
Biogas is principally a mixture of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) along
with other trace gases.
Methane gas, the primary component of natural gas (98%), makes up 55-90% by
volume of biogas, depending on the source of organic matter and conditions of
degradation.
Biogas is produced in all natural environments that have low levels of oxygen (O2)
and have degradable organic matter present.
These natural sources of biogas include: aquatic sediments, wet soils, buried organic
matter, animal and insect digestive tracts, and in the core of some trees.
Production Equipment
The Main parts of a typical biogas plant consist of the following
components:
Inlet
Digester
Gas holder
Outlet
Types of Biogas production plants:
Fixed-dome Plant
Floating-drum Plants
Fixed Dome Type
•A fixed-dome plant consists of a
digester with a fixed, non-movable
gas holder, which sits on top of the
digester.
•Advantage - The costs of a fixed-
dome biogas plant are relatively
low. It is simple as no moving parts
exist. There are also no rusting
steel parts and hence a long life of
the plant (20 years or more) can be
expected.
Floating Dome Type
•Floating-drum plants consist of an
underground digester and a moving gas-
holder.
•The gas-holder floats either directly on
the fermentation slurry or in a water
jacket of its own.
•The gas is collected in the gas drum,
which rises or moves down, according to
the amount of gas stored.
•Advantage- Floating-drum plants are
easy to understand and operate. They
provide gas at a constant pressure, and
the stored gas-volume is immediately
recognizable by the position of the drum.
Technological Investment of Biofuels
worldwide
The largest investor in biogas technology is Germany with nearly 6,000
plants producing nearly 2.3 GW of electrical power. This investment is part
of Germany's push for energy independence and greener technology.
Behind Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and China
are all major producers of biogas.
Coincidentally, the U.S., India, and China constitute three of the four
largest cattle-owning nations in the world with the fourth (second by
ranking) being Brazil.
Advantage of Biogas as a Fuel
High calorific value
Renewable source of energy
Non polluting
Reduces landfills
Economical Technology
Limitations of Biogas
Biogas can be explosive when mixed in the ratio of one part
biogas to 8-20 parts air.
Biogas leaks smell like rotten eggs (hydrogen sulfide)
Not feasible
Not Attractive on Large Scale
Little technological advancement
Contain Impurities
Cannot be easily stored
Thank You
