

All of these components can be used for energy. Pyrolysis produces a dark liquid called pyrolysis oil, a synthetic gas called syngas, and a solid residue called biochar. This keeps it from combusting and causes the biomass to be chemically altered. During pyrolysis, biomass is heated to 200° to 300° C (390° to 570° F) without the presence of oxygen. Pyrolysis Pyrolysis is a related method of heating biomass. This reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by burning fossil fuels. Co-firing also eases the demand for coal. Co-firing eliminates the need for new factories for processing biomass. Biomass is most often co-fired in coal plants. Biomass can also be co-fired, or burned with a fossil fuel. This electricity can be used for manufacturing or to heat buildings.
Planet nomads biomas generator#
The steam produced during the firing process powers a turbine, which turns a generator and produces electricity. Direct Firing and Co-Firing Most briquettes are burned directly. The briquettes have high energy density and are easy to burn during direct or co-firing. This makes it possible to store them in moist areas. Biomass briquettes are very hydrophobic, meaning they repel water.

During torrefaction, biomass becomes a dry, blackened material.

The lost energy and mass can be used to fuel the torrefaction process. It loses about 20 percent of its original mass, but retains 90 percent of its energy. The biomass dries out so completely that it loses the ability to absorb moisture, or rot. During torrefaction, biomass is heated to about 200° to 320° Celsius (390° to 610° Fahrenheit). This chemical process is called torrefaction. Before biomass can be burned, however, it must be dried. Different types of energy are created through direct firing, co-firing, pyrolysis, gasification, and anaerobic decomposition. The most familiar biomass feedstocks for thermal conversion are raw materials such as municipal solid waste (MSW) and scraps from paper or lumber mills. Thermal conversion involves heating the biomass feedstock in order to burn, dehydrate, or stabilize it. Thermal Conversion Biomass can be burned by thermal conversion and used for energy. Biomass can be burned to create heat (direct), converted into electricity (direct), or processed into biofuel (indirect). The energy from these organisms can be transformed into usable energy through direct and indirect means. Biomass contains energy first derived from the sun: Plants absorb the sun’s energy through photosynthesis, and convert carbon dioxide and water into nutrients (carbohydrates). Biomass energy can also be a nonrenewable energy source. The most common biomass materials used for energy are plants, wood, and waste. Biomass is organic, meaning it is made of material that comes from living organisms, such as plants and animals. People have used biomass energy-energy from living things-since the earliest hominids first made wood fires for cooking or keeping warm.
