Biomass and Bio Gas Energy

Biomass and Bio Gas Energy

• Biomass is organic matter produced by plants, both terrestrial (those grown on land) and aquatic (those grown in water) and their derivatives. It consists of forest crops and residues, special plantation on ‘energy form’ and animal manure. 

Bio-mass resources are classified into three categories

1. Bio-mass : Traditional form i.e. solid mass, say wood and agricultural residue.
2. Bio-mass in non-traditional form (converted Into liquid fuels) : Bio-mass is converted Into ethanol and methanol to be used as liquid fuels.
3. In the third category, bio-mass is fermented anaerobically to obtain a gaseous fuel called biogas. The bio-mass includes wood waste and bagasse, which have potential of generating substantial electric power. All these bio-masses are highly dispersed and bulky and contain large amount of water. Thus, It is uneconomical to transport them over long distances. But bio-mass can be converted to liquid or gaseous fuels, thereby increasing its energy density and making feasible transportation over long distances.

• Animal and human wastage are indirect crops from which methane for combustion and ethylene can be produced while retaining the fertilizer value of the manure.
• Aquatic crops are grown In fresh, sea and brackish water. Both submerged and emergent plants Including sea weeds etc. are considered suitable for the purpose.

Composition of Bio-gas and its Calorific Value

• Bio-gas generated by anaerobic fermentation of organic wastes, essentially contains methane and carbon dioxide in large proportion and has traces of other gases. The important properties are as given below

Calorific Value :