Biofuels from Biomass

Abstract

Biofuels are alcohols, ethers, esters and other chemicals made from cellulosic biomass, large portions of municipal solid and industrial wastes. Biofuels are renewable since they are produced from biomass i.e. from organic matter such as plants . Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as a fuel. Biomass recycles carbon from the air and spares the use of fossil fuels, reducing the need to pump additional fossil carbon from ground into the atmosphere. Pyrolysis of biomass consists of heating solid biomass in the absence of air to produce solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. In this experimental work rapid pyrolysis of wood and some agricultural residues at high temperature (400ºC – 700ºC) is carried out. The composition of the biomass influences the product distribution. Longer residence time in rapid pyrolysis increases the time for contact between tar and char which makes the char less reactive. The main product obtained by the rapid pyrolysis of wood is bio-oil which acts as an alternative to petroleum products.