Proximate analysis and ultimate analysis

1. Proximate analysis gives the composition of the biomass in terms of gross

components such as moisture (M), volatile matter (VM), ash (ASH), and fixed carbon
(FC).

2. Ultimate analysis gives the concentrations of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N),
sulfur (S) and oxygen (O), sometimes including chlorine (Cl).

Higher heating value (HHV)

It is defined as the amount of heat released by the unit mass or volume of fuel (initially at 25
°C) once it is combusted and the products have returned to a temperature of 25 °C. It includes
the latent heat of vaporization of water. HHV is also called gross calorific value or gross
heating value.
Lower heating value (LHV)

The lower heating value (LHV), also known as the net calorific value, is defined as the amount of heat
released by fully combusting a specified quantity less the heat of vaporization of the water in the
combustion product
Pyrolysis products

• Liquid

 Known as tar, bio-oil or bio-crude

 A black tarry fluid that contains up to 20 wt% water

• Solid

 Known as biochar, containing primarily carbon (~85%), with some oxygen and
hydrogen.
 Also contains ash
• Gas (e.g., CO2, H2O, CO, C2H2, etc.)
Types of Pyrolysis:

Slow Pyrolysis

Fast Pyrolysis
Describe How to calculate

Advantages
Disadvantages
Downdraft gasifiers Workshop 10)
As illustrated in Figure below, feedstock and gases flow in the same direction in downdraft
gasifiers. The advantage of this concurrent arrangement is that volatiles released during the
gradual heating of the biomass must pass through a high-temperature char combustion zone
(800–1200 °C) where tars are rapidly and efficiently cracked. Tar conversion rates of 99%
or greater can be achieved. The hot char also reacts with CO2 and H2O released during
combustion to produce CO and H2. The exit gas temperatures are generally high (~700 °C).
Like updraft gasifiers, feedstock for downdraft gasifiers needs to be fairly uniform in size
with few fines. Feedstock with low ash content and high ash fusion temperature is important
to prevent slagging in the high-temperature combustion zone. Downdraft gasifiers must also
have fuel with moisture content less than about 20% in order to achieve temperatures high
enough to crack tars. A variation of the downdraft gasifier is the crossflow gasifier, in which
air is introduced tangentially into a throat located near the bottom of the gasifier to form a
char oxidation zone.

Updraft gasifiers( Workshop 10)

Updraft gasifiers are the oldest and simplest gasifiers. As illustrated in the Figure below, fuel
enters the top of an updraft gasifier by means of a lock hopper or rotary valve. As it moves in
counterflow to air or oxygen, it goes through stages of drying, devolatilizing, and char
combustion, with unburned char and ash exiting via a rotating grate at the bottom of the
gasifier. Air or oxygen entering the bottom of the gasifier reacts with char in the combustion
zone to form CO, CO2, and H2O at temperatures as high as 1200 °C. This hot gas provides
the energy to drive heating, drying, and pyrolysis of the biomass. In the pyrolysis zone, these
gases contact dry biomass in the temperature range 400–800 °C and devolatilize the biomass
to produce pyrolysis products and residual char. Above this zone, the gases and pyrolytic
vapors dry the entering biomass. Typical product exit temperatures are relatively low (80–
100 °C).
Production Pathway of Microalga biofuel