Biomass Fuel Characterisation

• Important for the optimization of energy

consumption
• Biomass Fuel characterization concerns with the
“analysis” and “energy content of fuel” (also known
as calorific value).
• Fuel analysis comprises of “proximate” and
“ultimate”.
 Proximate analysis

There are four common ways to measure the

properties of any carbon product, which will also be
used for biomass:
1) proximate analysis,
2) ultimate analysis,
3) heat of combustion, and
4) ash analysis
 Proximate analysis:
• Proximate analysis is a broad measurement to
determine the moisture content (M), volatile matter
content (VM), fixed carbon content (FC), and the
ash content.
• These are all done on a mass basis, typically, and
are done in what is called a proximate analyser.
• The analyser just measures the mass loss at certain
temperatures.
• .
 Proximate analysis:
In the proximate analysis, moisture (M), Ash (A) and
volatile matter (VM) are determined.
And Fixed carbon (FC) is obtained from the following
equation: FC=100-(%M+%A+%VM)
Ash: the residue obtained after complete combustion
of fuel. Its mainly CaO, MgO, SiO2 and Al2O3
Volatile Matter: It consists of volatile substances
formed during heating of fuel in absence of air.
Essentially these are gaseous substances like CO,
H2, H2O, CO2, CH4, N2,O2 and other
hydrocarbons.
 Proximate analysis:

• Moisture is driven off at ~105-110°C (just above the

boiling point of water); it represents physically
bound water only.
• Volatile matter is driven off in an inert atmosphere
at 950°C, using a slow heating rate.
• The ash content is determined by taking the
remaining material (after VM loss) and burning it at
above 700°C in oxygen.
 Proximate analysis:
• The fixed carbon is then determined by difference:
FC = 1 – M – Ash – VM.
• The following is an example of proximate analysis
of lignin, which is part of wood and/or grasses,
primarily:
• Moisture (wt%) - 5.34
• Ash (wt%) - 14.05
• Volatile Matter (wt%) - 60.86
• Fixed carbon-????
 Proximate analysis:

• FC = 100 - M(%) - A(%) - VM(%)

• FC = 100 - 5.34 - 14.05 - 60.86 = 19.75

• Sometimes the moisture content will be removed

from the VM and ash contents, on a dry basis:

• FC = 100 - A(% dry) - VM(% dry)

• FC = 100 - 14.05 - 60.86 = 25.09
 Fuel Moisture
• Fuel moisture can be as follows:
• (a) Outside (rough) combines with fuel at
extraction, transportation and storage. It is
easily removed by drying.
• (b) Hygroscopic, mainly absorbed by
organic portions of fuel.
• (c) Constitutional (crystal water of molecule
of some compounds in ash).
 Fuel Moisture
• In liquid fuels, moisture is an incidental admixture of water when
transported and stored. In gaseous fuels, moisture occurs in the form
of steam whose boundary contents depend on the temperature and
pressure of fuel. Under certain conditions, steam can be saturated and
excess steam condensed in gaseous fuel. From the energy point of
view, moisture is a harmful admixture of all types of fuel. . Fuel
moisture can be as follows:
• (a) Outside (rough) combines with fuel at extraction, transportation
and storage. It is easily removed by drying.
• (b) Hygroscopic, mainly absorbed by organic portions of fuel.
• (c) Constitutional (crystal water of molecule of some compounds in
ash).
• The content of moisture in solid fuels varies from 4 % to 55 % . In
liquid fuels, moisture is an incidental admixture of water when
transported and stored. In gaseous fuels, moisture occurs in the form
 Terms For Proximate Analysis

• %Dry Basis=(%A or %VM)/(100-%M)x100

• %FC dry basis=100-(%M+%A)
• %Dry Ash Free Basis (daf)=%VM/(100-(%M+%A))
• Fuel Moisture:
 Ultimate Analysis
• The ultimate chemical analysis determines the mass
percentage of carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O),
Nitrogen (N), Sulfur (S), ash and water in fuel.
• For gaseous fuels, chemical analysis determines the
volume percentage of;
• Methane (CH4), Ethane (C2H6), Propane (C3H6),
Butanes plus (includes butane and all heavier
hydrocarbons) (C4H8), Ethene (C2H4), Benzene
(C6H6), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2),
Nitrogen (N2), Oxygen (O2), and Carbon Dioxide
(CO2).
Higher heating value (HHV)
• Higher heating value (HHV) (or gross energy or upper
heating value or gross calorific value (GCV) or higher
calorific value (HCV)) is determined by bringing all the
products of combustion back to the original pre-
combustion temperature, and in particular condensing any
vapor produced.
• Such measurements often use a standard temperature of
25 °C.
• The water produced by combustion is condensed to a
liquid, hence yielding its latent heat of vaporization.
•
Lower heating value (HHV)
• The quantity known as lower heating value (LHV) (net calorific value (NCV)
or lower calorific value (LCV)) is determined by subtracting the heat of
vaporization of the water from the higher heating value.
• This treats any H2O formed as a vapor. The energy required to vaporize the
water therefore is not released as heat.
• LHV calculations assume that the water component of a combustion process is
in vapor state at the end of combustion, as opposed to HHV which assumes
that all of the water in a combustion process is in a liquid state after a
combustion process.
• The LHV assumes that the latent heat of vaporization of water in the fuel and
the reaction products is not recovered.
• It is useful in comparing fuels where condensation of the combustion products
is impractical.
 Calorific Value
• The amount heat on complete combustion of 1kg of
fuel at reference state of product of combustion
(POC) i.e. CO2, H2O, SO2
• GCV is 25 degrees with POC of CO2(g), SO2(g)
and H2O(l)
• NCV is 100 degree with POC of CO2(g), SO2(g)
and H2)(g)
• So GCV > NCV by an amount equal to latent heat
of condensation.
• NCV = GCV – Heat of vaporization of water
• NCV = GCV – H(water vapor) (9 %H + %M(daf))
Hwange colliery company coal was found to have the following
characteristics:
• Moisture content of coal on a wet basis = 39%
• Ash content on a wet basis = 3%
• Dry ash free material = 58%
• Hydrogen content =6%
• High heat value on a dry ash free basis =19.4MJ/kg
• Heat of vaporization of water at constant pressure = 2442kJ/kg

Determine:
i. Moisture content on a dry ash free basis
ii. Ash content on a dry basis
iii. Lower Heat Value on a dry ash free basis