COURSE CODE: TEEE 3205

COURSE NAME: BIOMASS ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

COURSE LEVEL: YEAR THREE SEMESTER II
CREDIT UNITS: 3

Brief Course Description

The student will be introduced to biomass energy technology.

Course Objectives

 By the end of the course, the students should be able to:

 Classify the various biomaterials.
 Discuss the biomaterials, their types and production processes.
 Explain the direct biomass combustion for heat, open-top gasifier and biomass-based
power generation.

Learning Outcomes

 Upon completion of the course, the students should be able to:

 Build open-top gasifier and biomass-based power generation.
 Select the material used for biomass.

Detailed Course Description

Biomass Materials: (12 hours)

Classification; Physical and chemical properties; wet and dry mass; Forest material; fuel wood,
yields of biomass material, effect of carbon dioxide emissions; harvesting. Residues; crop, dung,
forest-product; Plantation biomass; for energy (Energy farming); types of plants, characteristics,
effects, costs;

Direct Biomass Combustion for Heat: (10 hours)

Overview of bio fuels; types and production processes; Resources; fuel wood, grain crops,
sugarcane residue or bagasse; Charcoal production; cytolysis process and products, traditional
kilns, charcoal retorts, briquettes production, principles of gasification; Cooking systems;
components, fuel availability and consumption, stove suitability, smoke and pollution,
comparative analysis, deforestation; Stoves; domestic, commercial and industrial applications,
fuel wood- and charcoal-burning types, efficiencies. Driers using biomass;

Open-top Gasifier (OTG) Technologies: (12 hours)

Gasification process; Overview of gasifier types and their products; Open-top gasifiers;
comparison with closed-top types, components, types, performance and control, safety and
environmental factors, operation and maintenance

Biomass-based Power Generation Technologies: (11 hours)

Cogeneration principles; Steam-turbine cycle technology; principle, co-generation or combined
heat and power systems (CHP), condensing condensing-extraction steam (CEST) and back-
pressure turbines, boiler units, efficiencies, whole-tree and wood chips technologies. Gas-turbine
cycle technology; characteristics, integrated gasifier (IGT), steam-injected (STIG), inter-cooler
steam-injected (ISTIG) and combine cycle (CCGT) gas turbine technologies.

Mode of Course Delivery

The course will be taught by using lectures, tutorials, laboratory work and assignments.

Assessment

The course will be assessed through assignments, tests, practical work and final examination.
Their relative contribution to the final grade is shown below:

Requirements Contribution

Assignments 5%
Tests 10%
Practical Work 25%
Final Examination 60%
Total 100%

References

1. N. Altawell, (2014) The Selection Process of Biomass Materials for the Production of
Bio-Fuels and Co-firing, Wiley-IEEE Press.
2. Sørensen, B (2010). Renewable Energy: Physics, Engineering, Environmental Impacts.
Elsevier Ltd.
3. Thomas B. Johansson, (1992). Renewable Energy, Sources for Fuels and Electricity. 9th
Edition. Pearson International, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
4. Peter Gevorkian, (2007) Sustainable Energy Systems Engineering, McGraw-Hill.