ENERGY PLANTATION

Tagore Engineering College

By M.Pramodhann

FOSSIL FUELSFossil fuels can be in the form of solids (coal),

liquids (petroleum) or gas (natural gas, methane).

They are believed to be fossilized remains of dead animals and plants which have been exposed to heat and a high degree of pressure over many millions of years. 

A study claimed that fossil fuels were involved in as much as 86% of the primary global energy.

FOSSIL FUELS IN DAILY LIFEElectricity: The most common use of fossil

fuels is the generation of electricity. Fossil fuels like coal run most of the power plants in the world that generate electricity.

This picture is taken from google

THE ISSUE TODAYSince we burn fossil fuels, using these fuels

has become an environmental issue. Environmental problems such as greenhouse

gas accumulation, acidification, air pollution, water pollution, are caused due to pollutants being released in the air that are contained in fossil fuel structures, e.g. sulphur and nitrogen.

The largest emissions of carbon dioxide into the air are due to coal combustion. Still, it continues to be used because it is cheaper.

ENERGY PLANTATIONEnergy plantation is a process of producing

energy. Currently, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas represent the prime energy sources in the world i.e., approximately 80% of the total use of more than 400 EJ(exajoules) per year.

However, it is anticipated that these sources of energy will be depleted within the next 40–50 years.

Moreover, the expected environmental damages such as the global warming and acid rain due to the production of emissions from these sources have tempted the world to try to reduce carbon emissions.

It can be reduced by 80% and shift towards utilizing a variety of renewable energy resources (RES) which are less environmentally harmful such as solar, wind, biomass...etc in a sustainable way.

World energy supplies have been dominated by fossil fuels for decades. Today biomass contributes about 10–15% of this demand.

To prevent this renewable sources such as wind, solar energy and Biomass must be used.

BIOMASSAgricultural or

Natural waste is considered as Biomass.

Biomass means living matter.

E.g. Coconut shell, wood, sugarcane trash, rice husk, corn waste, palm waste and wooden chips.

This picture is taken from google

This picture is taken from google

This picture is taken from google

CARBON CYCLE

METHODOLOGY Biomass can be converted to fuel by means of

numerous processes. The actual choice of a process will depend on

the type and quantity of available biomass feedstock, the desired energy carrier, environmental standards, economic conditions and other factors.

For example, biomass can be directly burned as a fuel. However, this manner of use can be regarded as a source of very substantial pollution.

Therefore, it is necessary to convert biomass into liquid or gaseous fuels which can replace oil.

A large variety of liquid and gaseous fuels can be derived from biomass. There are many types of process, here are the some main process.

Types: 1) Direct Combustion 2) Pyrolysis 3) Gasification 4) Chemical conversion

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

CONCLUSION The production of coal in our country is very

low and nowadays it is imported from Australia, after 40-50 years there will be lack of coal in our country.

So I conclude that from now on if we develop biomass energy plantation in large scale it will be very useful for our future generation and this will lead to pollution free country and on the basis of demand on fuel, it can also be used as a vehicle fuel.