Biomass & Bioenergy; case studies Bioresources, chemical and biological processes, biomass products for sustainable, renewable energy and materials - Abstract
Over the next two decades, the proportion of global energy demand attributed to fuel consumption will grow. The escalating costs of fossil fuels and apprehensions regarding the ecological repercussions of greenhouse gas emissions have rekindled the enthusiasm for the advancement of alternate energy sources. The Fukushima Daiichi incident was a pivotal moment in the demand for alternative energy sources. Renewable energy is currently seen as a preferable fuel source compared to nuclear power, primarily because it lacks the potential risks and tragedies associated with it. Since carbon dioxide is the primary constituent of greenhouse gases, there is a worldwide apprehension regarding mitigating carbon emissions. Various strategies can be implemented to decrease carbon emissions, including promoting the use of renewable energy and fostering technological advancements. Two primary methods can be employed to mitigate CO2 emissions and address the issue of climate change: substituting fossil fuels with renewable energy sources to the greatest extent feasible and
improving energy efficiency. This article explores potential solutions to enhance renewable energy deployment and increase energy consumption efficiency. There is widespread international concern about the utilization of biomass waste as a primary resource for producing biofuel/ biochar and renewable energy. Pyrolysis is a thermal process used to handle biomass wastes, creating liquid, solid, and gaseous products. Regrettably, a high level of heat is required to dismantle the intricate composition of biomass resources to obtain useable products. Microwave heating shows excellent potential as a viable alternative to existing heating technologies. Pyrolysis has recently gained significant popularity due to its user-friendly nature and rapid heating capabilities. Biomass can be assessed by microwave-assisted pyrolysis, which reduces temperature and minimizes energy use. Nevertheless, the lack of a complete understanding of low-temperature behaviors and the absence of scale-up demonstrations restrict the potential for industrial utilization. Laboratory investigations have shown that rice straw pyrolysis-using microwave heating occurs within a temperature range of 250–300 oC. Additionally, the activation energy for this process is around 40–150 kJ/mol lower compared to conventional pyrolysis. The discovery revealed that interlinking had a beneficial effect on reducing activation energy, temperature, immediate hotspots, and the dielectric loss factor of biomass. A pilot scale microwave-aided pyrolysis auger reactor, capable of processing 80 kg/h, will be created based on the obtained results. The reactor will operate continuously within the temperature range of 200-300 oC, achieving a net energy ratio of 72%. The practicality of a small-scale operation will be proved by the capacity to generate enough heat and by an economic study. This analysis has determined that this technology is suitable for a portable and decentralized biomass conversion system.