A Short Overview of Analytical Techniques in Biomass Feedstock Characterization

Abstract

Biomass feedstock offers a wide range of fuel and fuel-blend sources with much interest on the liquid fuel. Characteristics of biomass feedstock vary greatly, and they negatively impact the quality of the fuels derived thereof. Furthermore, the characteristics dictate the choice of processing techniques employed in their conversion to value-added chemicals, which affect its characteristics. Therefore, it is essential to gain an in-depth understanding of the quality of biomass feedstocks by critically examining their properties via variety of techniques and methods. As a way of contributing to this understanding, this chapter, therefore, gives a short overview on the different biomass conversion techniques and different characteristics obtainable via these methods. In addition, standard analytical tools/equipment used for characterization of diverse biomass are presented and discussed. Analytical methods to check and investigate chemical or elemental composition, morphology, particle size distribution, etc. are thoroughly addressed. Proper understanding addressing the questions: “What methods can be used to investigate quality of biomass?” and “How can this be done?” is instrumental to developing an efficient biorefinery for production of bio-based fuels and chemicals from biomass.