From school, everyone should know the meaning of the biological term “biomass”. This concept can be described as the totality of all life on our planet. In this article we will talk about expanded biomass, and we will pay special attention to its processing. Few people know that biomass is a source of biofuel. We will briefly review all processing methods. After reading this article, you can expand the knowledge gained in biology classes.
Biomass
Let's start with the concept of "biomass". This, as many reference books say, is the mass of all life on our planet. Biomass is also called biomass. Both options will be correct. For example, take the biomass of our planet Earth: it is approximately 4.5 billion tons. Agree, a pretty impressive figure!
The concepts of "biomaterial" and "fuel" are inextricably linked. Biomass is a valuable and only energy resource. This energy resource contains the required amount of carbon, which can replace fossil fuels. This source of energy, which is biomass, is renewable. Now directly about how the processing of biomaterial occurs.
Biomass processing
So, biomass is the totality of all life on the planet. Now we outline the main processing methods. The following options are available for energy production from biomass:
- burning;
- gasification;
- pyrolysis;
- fermentation;
- fermentation.
Biomass can be converted into various types of fuel: liquid, solid, gas. At present, the direction of biofuel production by direct burning is more developed.
Burning
Biomass is the totality of all living organisms that can be transformed into the energy we need. This section will discuss the transformation in the most common way - burning.
Why is this option the most used? Everything is very simple, because burning is the easiest way to extract energy. Waste is burned, the generated steam drives the rotor of the generator necessary for energy production.
The method under consideration does not apply to all types of material due to the accumulation of ash in boilers, which increases the cost of their maintenance and reduces productivity. In this way, certain objects are processed.
Gasification
What is biomass? This biology is interpreted as the aggregate mass of all life on our planet, the only kind of renewable energy resource. Now briefly about the processing method called "gasification".
This method is based on the effect of heat on solid fuels. Differs from direct combustion in that the source of oxygen is limited. In this way we can get various gaseous fuels for a gas turbine. The gas mixture may consist of:
- carbon monoxide;
- carbon dioxide;
- nitrogen;
- hydrogen;
- methane.
The advantage of this technology is the formation of methane, which can be used for the same purposes as natural gas.
Pyrolysis
Speaking about what biomass is, school biology does not mention pyrolysis - another processing method in which biomass (in particular wood) is decomposed into liquid and gaseous products under the influence of high temperature and lack of oxygen. The residual material after pyrolysis is charcoal. The same amount of energy is concentrated in it, but at the same time the weight of solid fuel is an order of magnitude less, which is very convenient for its transportation.
A technology has now been developed that converts volatile substances into gas fuel. The gas produced in this way is a valuable source for the production of many hydrocarbons.
Fermentation
This method is based on the processing of biomass by anaerobic bacteria, which are able to consume organic matter and process it into gas. With the help of such bacteria, energy can be extracted even from the dung of domestic animals. And here nature helps man. The latter should only competently use the available knowledge in order to receive the released gases (in this case, methane and hydrogen).
Anaerobic bacteria are present in places where there is no oxygen. The most common habitat are swamps. That is why such a persistent smell is not far from these reservoirs.
Fermentation
People are used to getting ethyl alcohol with sugar and yeast. With the help of the latter, a fermentation process is possible, and fermentation is based on this principle. Only for the extraction of energy from biomass use a wider range of materials, up to the development of wood production.
Biomass and fuel
In this paper, we examined how to extract energy from biomass, got acquainted with the concept itself. It should also be added that ethanol is most prevalent. It is often used as fuel for transport, of course, not in its pure form, but when mixed with gasoline. This reflects well not only on lesser atmospheric pollution, but also on transport productivity.