DEVELOPMENT OF BIOMASS

ENERGY SYSTEMS IN ECUADOR

Prepared by

Salman Zafar

BioEnergy Consult (Aligarh, INDIA)

and

Carlos Serrano Decker

TECAM Ltd. (Guayaquil, ECUADOR)

May 2009

What is Biomass?

Any material derived from plants that use

sunlight to grow.

Wood from forests, agricultural residues, and

organic industrial, human and animal wastes

etc.

Major Sources of Biomass in Ecuador

Agricultural Residues

Animal Manure

Woody Biomass

Bio-solids and Industrial Effluents

Municipal Solid Wastes / Sewage

Algae

Woody Biomass

Forest and harvesting residues

Municipal wood waste

Wood processing residue

Horticultural residue

Short-rotation forestry

Agricultural Residues

Straw (from crops like Wheat, Oat, Barley)

Corn Stover

Crop Residues (Leaves, Stalks etc.)

Husk (from Rice and Coffee)

Green Crop Residues (Soybean tops)

Energy Crops

Animal Manure

Livestock waste

Dairy cattle waste

Poultry litter

Municipal Solid Wastes

Household waste

Institutional waste

Garbage

Street sweeping

Sewage sludge

Food residuals from hotels, restaurants etc.

Bio-solids and Industrial Effluents

Agro-industrial wastes

Food processing wastes

Slaughterhouse wastes

Tannery effluent

Sugar mill effluent

Distillery effluent

Algal Biomass

Marine algae

Seaweed

A Glance at Biomass Conversion Technologies

BIOMASS

Thermochemical Processes

Power Generation Electricity

CHP Electricity, Heat

Gasification Gas for Fuel

Pyrolysis Heavy Oil

Biochemical Processes

Fermentation Ethanol

Anaerobic Digestion Biogas

Major Energy Pathways

Thermochemical Pathway

o Combustion

o Gasification

o Pyrolysis

Biochemical Pathway

o Anaerobic digestion

o Fermentation

Major Biomass Conversion Pathways

Thermal Biological

Combustion Gasification Pyrolysis

Heat Fuel Gases

(CO + H2)

Liquids

Pretreatment

Fermentation

Ethanol

No AirPartial airExcess air

AD

H2

Biogas

Comparison of Heating Value of Important Biomass

and Conventional Energy Resources

Type of Fuel Heating Value, MJ/kg

Dry Wood 18

Dry Rice Husk 13

Coconut Fiber 17

Dry Cow Dung 14

Charcoal 24

Coal 27

Diesel 46

LPG 45

Residues Generation Potential of Agricultural Crops

Crops Crop wastes Residues production

Rice Straw, husk, bran 1.5t of straw and 0.2t of husk from 1t of rice

Wheat Straw, husk, bran 2t of residues from 1t of wheat seed

Maize Stalk, leaves 6t of waste from 1t of maize

Sorghum Straw, bran 2.5t of residues from 1t of sorghum seed

Barley Straw, bran 1.5t of straw from 1t of barley

Millet Straw, bran 2t of residue from 1t of millet produced

Coffee Pulp, husk 3.6t of waste from 1t of green coffee

Coco Hull, fibre 0.9t of waste from 1t of coconut

Palm oil Shell, fibre, fruit bunches 75%; waste from weight of fruit bunch

Pictorial Representation of Agricultural Residues-based

Biomass Energy System

Sources and Types of Municipal Solid Wastes

Sources Typical waste generators Types of solid waste

Residential Single and multi-family dwellings Food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics,

textiles, glass, metals, ashes, special wastes

(bulky items, consumer electronics, batteries,

oil, tires) and household hazardous wastes

Commercial Stores, hotels, restaurants,

markets, office buildings

Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes,

glass, metals, special wastes, hazardous

wastes

Institutional Schools, government center,

hospitals, prisons

Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes,

glass, metals, special wastes, hazardous

wastes

Municipal Street cleaning, landscaping,

parks, beaches, recreational

areas

Street sweepings, landscape and tree

trimmings, general wastes from parks,

beaches, and other recreational areas

A Glance at Woody Biomass Resources

Wood-residues from Forestry-based Industries

Process Type of Residue Percentage of Residue

Logging Solid 40

Saw-milling Solid 38

Saw-milling Sawdust 12

Plywood Solid 45

Plywood Dust 5

Particle board Dust 10

Fibre board Dust 10

Chemical pulpwood Black liquor 2.27 m3/ton

Different Routes for Biomass Conversion into

Energy Products and Services

Resource Processes Biofuels Energy Services

Agricultural residues Densification

Combustion

Gasification

Pyrolysis

Pellets

Briquettes

Bales

Biodiesel

Heat

Electricity

Transport

Wood residues Densification

Esterification

Combustion

Gasification

Pyrolysis

Pellets

Briquettes

Heat

Electricity

Transport

Organic industrial

wastes

Digestion

Hydrolysis

Gasification

Biogas

Bioethanol

Solvents

Heat

Electricity

Transport

Municipal wastes Digestion

Combustion

Gasification

RDF

Biogas

Heat

Electricity

Biomass Conversion Technologies and their Products

Technologies Conversion Process Feedstock Products

Combustion

Thermochemical

Woody biomass

Agricultural residues

Municipal solid waste

Heat

Process Steam

Electricity

GasificationProducer Gas

PyrolysisBio-Oil

Charcoal

Anaerobic Digestion

Biochemical

Animal manure

Agricultural residues

Industrial effluents

OFMSW

Algae

Biogas

Bio-fertilizer

Bio-ethanol Production

Sugar or starch crops

Wood waste

Pulp sludge

Straw

Ethanol

Biodiesel ProductionChemical

Waste vegetable oil

Animal fat

Energy crops

Biodiesel

Overview of Biomass Conversion Technologies

Conversion Option Typical Capacity Net Efficiency Status and Deployment

Biogas production via

anaerobic digestionUpto several MWe 10 – 15% (electrical) Widely applied.

Combined heat and power

(CHP)0.1 – 20 MWe 60 – 100% (overall) Widely deployed.

Combustion for power

generation20 - > 100 MWe 20 – 40% (electrical) Well established

Co-firing of biomass with coal 5 – 100 MWe 30 – 40 % (electrical) Widely deployed

Gasification/CHP using gas

engines0.1 – 1 MWe

15 – 30% (electrical)

60 – 80% (overall)Deployment limited

Gasification using combined

cycles for electricity30 – 200 MWe 40 – 50% (electrical)

Demonstration phase at 5-10

MWe range

Pyrolysis for production of

bio-oil10 – 100 tons per hour

60 – 80% for bio-oil

and 85% for oil and

char

Commercial technology

available.

Biomass Energy Systems

Fuel Specifications and Capacity Range

Technology Type of fuel Particle size requirement Moisture content

requirement

(wet basis)

Average capacity

Stove / Furnace Solid wood, pressed logs, wood chips,

pellets

Limited by stove size and

opening

10 – 30% 15 kWt

Pile burners Wood residues, agricultural residues Limited by grate size and

feed opening

< 65% 4 to 110 MWe

Pile burner fed with under-fire

stoker

Sawdust, shavings, chips, non-stringy

bark, hog fuel

6 – 38 mm 10 – 30% 4 to 110 MWe

Stoker grate boilers Sawdust, shavings, chips, end-cuts, non-

stringy bark, hog fuel

6 – 50 mm 10 – 50% 20 – 300 MWe

Suspension boilers

(cyclonic and air-spreader)

Sawdust, non-stringy bark, sander dust,

shavings, wood flour, sawdust

1 - 6 mm < 20% 1.5 - 30 MWe

Fluidized-bed combustor Low alkali content fuels, mostly wood

residues or peat

< 50 mm < 60% 20 – 300 MWe

Co-firing

(pulverized coal boilers)

Sawdust, shavings, non-stringy bark,

flour, sander dust

< 6 mm < 25% upto 1500 MWe

Co-firing

(cyclones)

Sawdust, shavings, non-stringy bark,

flour, sander dust

< 12 mm 10 – 50% 40 – 1150 MWe

Co-firing

(stokers, fluidized bed)

Sawdust, shavings, non-stringy bark,

flour, hog fuel

< 72 mm 10 – 50 % -

Counter-current fixed-bed updraft

gasifiers

Chipped wood, hog fuel, rice hull, dried

sewage sludge

6 – 100 mm < 20% 5 – 90 MWt +

12MWe

Downdraft moving-bed updraft

gasifier

Wood chips, pellets, wood scrapes, nut

shells

< 50 mm < 15% 20 – 100 kWe

Circulating fluidized bed, dual-

vessel, gasifier

Almost all wood and agricultural

residues

6 – 50 mm 15 – 50% 5 – 10 MWe

Fast pyrolysis Wide range of wood and agricultural

residues

1 – 6 mm < 10% 2.5 MWe

Anaerobic digester Animal manures, food processing

residues, industrial wastewaters

n.a. 65 to 99.9 % liquid

depending on type of

waste

10 kWe to several

MWe

Biomass Combustion

Simplest and most common technology for biomass

utilization.

Biomass fuel is burnt in excess of air to produce

heat.

Hot air, hot water and steam are the main products.

Schematic of a Heat Plant

Co-firing of Coal and Biomass at Zeran CHP Plant in Poland

Straw is co-fired with Coal in Denmark

CHP - Combined Heat and Power

(or Cogeneration)

Simultaneous production of heat and power with

upto 90% efficiency

Technology Options for Biomass CHP

CHP Prime Movers

Layout of a Cogeneration (or CHP) Plant

Schematic of a fuel preparation plant to handle

biomass wastes, municipal solid wastes and sludge.

Biomass Gasification

The process takes place in limited air at 1200 -

1300 0C.

Final fuel gas, termed as Producer Gas, consist of

carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane.

Calorific value of producer gas is 4 – 6 MJ/Nm3.

Producer gas is utilized in turbines to generate

power.

A wide range of biomass resources can be subjected

to gasification.

Schematic of Biomass Gasification Process

Biomass

Feedstock

Gasification

Reactor

Clean Gases

(CO2, H2, N2)

Syngas

Cleaning

Boiler + Steam

Turbine (Rankine

Steam Cycle)

Syngas, CO, H2,

N2, dust, tars

Air

(O2, N2)

Gas

Engine

Electricity

Ash

Types of Gasifiers (Design Basis: Fuel Properties, End-use, Scale and Cost)

Updraft

Downdraft

Fluidized Bed

o Bubbling

o Circulating Flow

Entrained Flow

Staged (pyrolysis / steam reforming)

Biomass Gasification Plant

Biomass Gasifier at Vermont (USA)

200 tons of wood

chips daily

Forest thinnings; wood

pallets

Converted to gas at

~1850 ºF

Combined cycle gas

turbine

8MW power output

Biomass Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis involves combustion in absence or restricted

supply of air .

The products are

o A solid ( char or charcoal)

o A liquid (bio-oil)

o A mixture of gases (CO, H2 and N2)

Ratio of products varies with biomass composition

and operating conditions.

Bio-oil has been tested for use in engines, boilers

and turbines.

Schematic of MSW Gasification and Power Generation Plant

Schematic of Biomass Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis

(5500C, no air)

Combustion

Condensation

Biomass Catalytic Conversion to

Hydrogen (Optional)

Vapors

Liquids

Power

Generation

Gases

(H2, CO, CH4, C2H2, C2H4)

Char

Heat

BIOMASS LIQUEFACTION via PYROLYSIS

Feedstock and Products in Biomass Pyrolysis

Bio-Diesel

Combustion

Fuel

Fuel for Engines

and Turbines

Fuel Upgrade

Short-rotation

Crops

Wood-based

Residues

Agricultural

Residues

Gasification to

Syngas

PYROLYSIS

Schematic of Biomass Pyrolysis Plant

Products of Fast Pyrolysis Process

Anaerobic Digestion

Microbial decomposition of biomass in closed tanks

(known as anaerobic digesters).

High energy value gas, called Biogas (a mixture of

Methane and CO2), is produced.

Good-quality fertilizer is also produced in the form

of digestate.

The process finds wide application in animal

feedlots, dairies, agricultural farms etc.

Feedstock for Anaerobic Digestion Plants

Composition of Biogas

Applications of Biogas

Schematic of an agricultural co-digestion biogas plant

based on slurry, organic wastes and energy crops

Biogas-fired 1 MW Gas Engine at a Dairy Complex in

Punjab, India

This Filling Station in Laholm (Sweden) supplies biogas via the natural

gas grid to a growing number of light duty vehicles and lorries

Production of Ethanol from Biomass

Biomass

Pretreatment

Cellulose

Hydrolysis

Enzyme

Production

Pentose

Fermentation

Glucose

Fermentation

Lignin

Utilization

Ethanol

Recovery

Ethanol Biomass

Handling

Production of Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass

A Lignocellulose Biomass-based Biorefinery in Sweden

Thank you!

BioEnergy Consult – Towards a Clean Energy Future