1. Biomass resources characterization and biofuels
CLAUDIA BASSANO
Renewable Sources and Innovative Energetic Cycles
C.R. CASACCIA – Via Anguillarese, TEL
00060 S. MARIA DI GALERIA FAX
ROMA

2. Biomass resources characterization and biofuels
CONTENTS
Biomass resources characterization and biofuels
What is biomass?
Biomass resources
- Biomass characterization
- Biofuels types
- Solid biofuels pellets

3. What is biomass?
Any organic matter whic is available on a renewable or recurring basis, including agricultural crops and trees, wood and wood residues, plants (including aquatic plants), grasses, animal residues, municipal residues.
Biomass is produced from water and CO2 by photosynthesis.

4. Photosynthesis

5. Renewable energy source
Climate neutral

6. structural components
50%
polymers of sugars
ethanol
40 %

7. Agricultural Residues
Biomass Resources
Forest Wood Residues
Agricultural Residues
Energy Crops
Forest residue
Mill waste
Urban wood waste
Corn Stover
Rice hulls
Sugarcane bagasse
Animal biosolids
Hybrid poplar
Switchgrass
Willow
Fonte:

8. Forest Wood Residues Forest Residues
The primary forestry residues include:
logging residues from conventional harvest operations, forest management and land cleaning.

9. Forest Wood Residues Mill Waste Urban wood waste
Secondary forestry residues
mill wastes
pulping liquors.
Urban wood waste
Tertiary forest residues :
construction and demolition debris,
unusable pallets,
tree trimmings from the urban environment

10. Agricultural Residues
Agriculture crop residues include stalks and leaves, not harvested or removed from the fields.
Examples include :
corn stover, wheat straw, rice straw,
soybeans straw, sugarcane
corn
agricultural tree crops (vineyards, olive and fruit groves)
Animal residues
Agro-industrial residues of food processing industry
Waste stream: rice husks, molasses & bagasse, residues from palm oil mills

11. Agricultural Residues
Animal Wastes
From farms and animal processing operations
Complex source of organic materials, environmental consequences
anaerobic biodigestion
bacteria
biological process
BIOGAS

12. Energy crops Herbaceous Woody
Crops used for energy purposes
Herbaceous
Woody
Short Rotation Forestry
Perennials
Miscanthus, Cardoon ecc.
Annual
Rapeseed, Sunflower, Beet, Sorghum
Cardoon

13. Energy crops Herbaceous Energy crops Herbaceous energy crops are:
annual (cut annually and re-sown each year)
perennials
Switchgrass
Cardoon
Sorghum
Rapeseed

14. Energy crops Herbaceous Energy crops Product: SUGAR CROPS
Sorghum, sugar cane, sugar-beet
bioethanol
Sorghum
OILY CROPS
Rapeseed, sunflower, soybean
Rapeseed
biodiesel

15. Herbaceous Energy crops
Herbaceous Energy crops yields
Yield is the quantity of biomass you can have from one hectare of land
The choice of the appropriate location is the most important factor driving the biomass yields of the grasses
Switchgrass yields by region
Miscanthus yields by region

16. Herbaceous Energy crops
Miscanthus and switchgrass are particularly interesting for the following reasons:
their high biomass yield potential
the concentration of the yield in one harvest, and delayed harvest is possible
their persistence and yield stability
their efficient use of resources and low input demand
the benefits of their rhizome systems.

17. Short Rotation Forestry
Energy crops
Short Rotation Forestry
Short rotation forestry (SRF) are selected, fast-growing, tree species, such as willow, poplar and eucalyptus
Harvested within 3 to 10 years of planting.
Trees are planted very densely
Poplar per ha
Willows ,000 per ha

18. Woody Energy crops

19. Woody Energy crops Short Rotation Forestry
Sources: McKendry (2002); Venturi, Piero and Venturi, Gianpietro (2003). Analysis of energy comparison for crops in European agricultural systems. Biomass and Bioenergy, 25, 235 – 255.

20. Energy crops benefits Environmental benefits Marginal land recovery
protecting the land (improve soil quality)
erosion control
less fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide than annual row crops
to purify polluted soils. (phytoremediation)
sequestration of CO2;
Economical benefits
income benefits for farmers
positive effects on local employment in rural areas for the biomass resource production

21. Energy crops disadvantages
bioenergy activity requires very deep knowledge of wide sectoral competence
High level of mechanization
Water, soil, climatic, environmental constraints limiting the biomass productivity and the type of plants
Energy crops are less competitive
future: higher yields at lower costs
Need to adopt horizontal and vertical integration of sub-systems to improve the economic basis of bioenergy complexes

22. Future expansion of the biomass power market
Energy crops
Future expansion of the biomass power market
The development of SRF for renewable energy production is a new sector with potential for considerable expansion, offering benefits for growers, developers, consumers, local communities and the environment.
Research are focused on increase yield productivity
The SRF represent one of the point on the future expansion of the biomass power market.
biomass power market require the development of a feedstock supply system based on large-scale and sure production of biomass fuel.
After

23. Biomass characterization
The biomass forms the basis of any Bioenergy application and often the physic, chemical characteristics of the fuel also define the type of technology to be used.
Characteristics affecting the properties of wood as a fuel:
heating value,
chemical composition,
moisture content,
density,
hardness,
the amount of volatile matters,
the amount of solid carbon,
ash

24. Biomass characterization
Heating value .
energy that is available from burning a substance
High heating value (HHV)
Low heating value (LHV)
Value used

25. Biomass characterization
Low heating value .
The

26. Biomass characterization
Volume (m³) required to substitute one cubic meter of oil by some other fuels
1 thermal MW
store a volume of cubic meter of coal
store cubic meter, which means a quantity six more

27. Biomass characterization Average moisture content of the total weight
Chemical composition
proximate analysis
DRY MATTER
WATER
ASH 0,4-0,6 %of dm weight
SOLID CARBON
11,4-20 % of dm weight
VOLATILE MATTER
84-88 % of dm weight
Average moisture content of the total weight
Bark, Saw dust %
Forest chips %
Wood pellets %

28. Biomass characterization
Chemical composition
ultimate analysis
ultimate analysis
C  %
H  6- 6,5 %
O  %
N  0,1-0,5 %
S  0, %
H2O
CO2
NO2
SO2
ash
Combustion

29. Biomass characterization

30. Biomass characterization
Ash
The ash composition and the ash melting behaviour should be taken into consideration to avoid slagging problems in boiler.
Data about
The melting behaviour of straw and energy crops (Miscanthus) is in a range of °C
Normal wood do not start melting before 1100°C.

31. Biomass characterization
Ash
Source: Biomass Resource Assessment and Utilization Options for Three Counties in Eastern Oregon Oregon Department of Energy December 2003

32. Biomass characterization
Moisture
Moisture content is an important characteristic affecting the quality of biomass fuel for thermal processes like combustion, gasification and pyrolysis.

33. Biomass characterization
Moisture
Moisture: influence design plant, direct cost factor, influence the price of fuel.
the more water fuel contains then lower heating value then fuel efficiency is lower
the more water fuel contains then bigger boiler volume needed -then more expensive boiler
In combustion processes, high moisture content can lead to incomplete combustion, low thermal efficiency, low flame temperatures, excessive emissions and the formation of tars that could cause slagging problems.
lower moisture content cost less to transport and can reduce the size of handling, processing and energy conversion equipment

34. Biomass energy chains Main biomass energy chains : Wood energy chain
the use of dry products (cellulosic crops and residues) for thermo-chemical conversion (combustion, gasification, pyrolysis);
Liquid biofuel chain
the use of crops (oilseed rape, sunflower, sugar beet, cereals etc.) for liquid biofuel production;
Ethanol (sugar crops)
Biodiesel (oil crops)
Biogas
the use of wet products for anaerobic digestion.

35. Biomass energy chains

36. Electricity and heat production
Biofuels types
Biomass low energy density transport problem expensive
Biofuels
Fuel produced directly or indirectly from biomass or from their processing and conversion derivatives
Solid biofuel
Chips
Pellets
briquettes
Electricity and heat production
Liquid biofuel
biodiesel bioethanol
transport

37. Main advantages of biofuels:
increase the energetic value
to lower the volume for storage
to facilitate the handling, transportation and to lower its costs
to increase the energy density to volume ratio
to eliminate the loss of material caused to fermentation

38. Biofuels chips wood chips
chipped woody biomass has the form of pieces with a defined particle size produced by mechanical treatment
typical length
3-5 cm
Moisture
30-40 %
Density
kg/m3
LHV
10-13,4 MJ/kg 3-3,6 kWh/kg 750 kWh/m3
Cost
€/t

39. Biofuels pellets 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
kg/m3
LHV
17 MJ/kg 4,7 kWh/kg kWh/m3
Cost
€/t

40. The pellets production pellet production process
Storing and pretreatment
Drying the raw material
Pellet storing
Pellet cooling
Source :Refined Bio-Fuels Pellets and Briquettes Characteristics, uses and recent innovative production technologies

41. 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 I
3. Pellets extruded to the outside of the die

42. The pellets advantages
Advantages of wood fuel:
Less volume
Fewer deliveries
Consistent size and moisture content
Less ash and emissions
Pellets are dry and can be stored without degrading

43. The pellets disadvantages
Advantages of wood fuel:
Flow like a liquid
Easier to handle
Easier to ignite
Disadvantages of wood fuel:
Need large storage place
Ashes
More expensive
Pellets stove

44. Biofuels chips and pellets
1 kg of chips whit moisture 40 % LHW=10,46 MJ/kg is equivalent :
0,28 litre oil (LHWoil =10,19 kWh/ litre)
0,3 m3 CH4 (PCI CH4 =9,5 kWh/Nm3)
1 kg of pellet LHW=16,92 MJ/kg is equivalent :
0,46 litre oil
0,49 m3 of CH4
Confront
Chips process simpler and cheaper
Chips lower energy density, lower volumetric bulk density, more storage space

45. Biomass resources characterization and biofuels
Conclusion
Biomass has different origines
Energy crops : future expansion of the biomass power market.
Low energy density biofuels, transport problem
Pellets solid biofuel: expansion market in Europe

46. Biomass resources characterization and biofuels
GOODBYE
Claudia Bassano