What is biomass?

Combustion File no.: 23 Version no.: 2 Date:17-10-2000

Author: Johan Hustad/Maria Barrio Referee: Pia Kilpinen Source: Authors

1. Definition
Biomass is all the matter that can be derived directly or indirectly from
plant photosynthesis. It is a renewable energy that could replace the use
of some fossil fuels, for example coal. This combustion file explains some
differences between biomass and coal and compares several biomass
types.

2.Differences between coal and biomass

Coal contains between 75-90% carbon while biomass carbon content is
about 50%. This means that the heating value of biomass is lower. Biomass
fuels contain more volatile components and are more reactive than coal: at
500 °C about 85% by weight of the wood material is normally converted
into gaseous compounds. These differences are explained by the O/C and
H/C ratios of each fuel, shown in the Van Krevelen diagram:

Figure 1: H/C and O/C ratio for several solid fuels (Van Krevelen
diagram).

3.Biomass types
Biomass resources can be grouped into various categories such as:
• Wood residues (forest residues, paper and furniture industry)
• Urban wood waste/demolition wood (from packing, construction)
• Agricultural residues (from crops, food processing and animals)
• Dedicated energy crops

Wood residues is the most important biomass resource. Agricultural

residues is an important biomass resource and especially straw is a major
contributor to biomass combustion in larger plants. Dedicated energy
crops is the future largest source of biomass energy.

Table 1 gives an overview of composition properties of the most important

biomass resources of interest in large scale combustion systems. The
great variations in moisture content, ash and chemical composition,
especially nitrogen, sulphur and chlorine give rise to large variations in
combustion behaviour and pollutant emissions from combustion systems
unless this is carefully considered in the design and operation of the
furnaces and boilers in addition to implementing a proper cleaning system
for a particular plant.

Wood and wood residues Agricultural residues Energy crops

Clean Bark from Straw Grass Waste-/demolition Salix Unit
wood spruce from wheat Reed canary wood
Moisture 50 55-65 55 60 15-20 50 wt% of wet fuel
Ash 1.3 2.34 4.71 8.85 0.9 1.18 wt% of dry fuel
Fixed-C 13.2 22.46 17.59 17.65 18.92
HHV 19.2 19.83 18.94 18.37 15.4 19.75 MJ/kg
LHV 15.4 18.54 17.65 17.13 13.9 18.42 MJ/kg
Composition wt% (daf)
C 49.1 51.1 49.6 49.4 48.8 50.3
H 6.00 6.04 6.16 6.25 5.25 6.17
O 44.3 42.4 43.5 42.7 45.6 43.1
N 0.48 0.41 0.61 1.54 0.15 0.40
S 0.01 0.03 0.07 0.15 0.03 0.03
Cl 0.10 0.03 0.18 0.07 0.08 0.004
Table 1: Proximate and ultimate analysis of several biofuels.

Table 2 gives an overview of properties of biomass ashes with a special

emphasis on erosion and corrosion potential of these ashes. Fuels having
the ratio(Na2O + K2O/SiO2) above 2 require special precautions to avoid
fouling problems. If the ratio is below 0.2, then precautions must be taken
to avoid erosion which can occur from the high silica content. The range in
ash content and composition for bituminous coal is also given in the table
for comparison.
 Acids Bases
Ash(%) Fe 2O 3 Al2O 3 P2O 5 TiO 2 CaO MgO Na 2O K 2O SiO 2 Ratio a
Potential erosion a

Rice husk 23.4 0.10 2.00 0.20 0.20 0.10 1.20 95.60 0.01
Bagasse, Hawaii 3.5 14.80 15.30 3.50 1.92 2.21 0.86 3.52 54.00 0.08
Construction wood 3.4 4.23 12.55 1.35 0.59 10.87 2.69 4.71 5.55 53.56 0.09
Wheat straw 8.9 1.50 2.00 5.00 3.60 0.30 6.60 78.20 0.09
Rice straw 13.4 0.30 3.30 2.00 2.80 1.10 8.00 79.80 0.11
Pine bark 3.0 3.00 14.00 25.50 6.50 1.30 6.00 39.00 0.19

Demolition wood 4.9 6.22 6.03 0.88 15.96 3.76 3.87 2.41 41.21 0.23
Whole tree average 1.3 3.99 8.87 3.03 23.43 4.59 1.62 10.48 34.81 0.35
Manure 34.9 1.88 6.06 5.52 0.25 13.05 4.45 4.85 12.29 41.99 0.41
Western hog fuel 0.5 4.41 2.31 0.01 25.37 7.62 5.64 9.26 35.18 0.42
Softwood bark 2.0 5.00 6.30 57.00 5.50 3.10 4.10 16.00 0.45
Jack pine 2.1 5.00 6.30 0.20 51.60 5.50 3.10 4.10 16.00 0.45
Eastern hemlock 2.5 1.30 2.10 5.60 13.10 1.10 4.60 10.00 0.57
Almond shells 4.8 3.77 12.27 2.49 5.08 14.14 22.60 0.85
Oat straw 4.0 0.50 0.80 12.30 3.00 0.30 40.30 37.30 1.09
Tree prinsings 2.0 1.94 19.90 8.30 1.48 12.66 9.95 1.42
Walnut shells 0.6 2.40 7.00 3.65 1.08 21.50 13.60 1.66

Potential fouling a
Cotton stalks 4.6 0.50 0.80 16.40 5.20 2.00 30.00 8.40 3.81
Hardwood bark 3.4 0.60 0.50 77.00 1.90 3.90 7.20 1.50 7.4
Oak 1.6 3.40 26.00 2.90 1.60 42.00 5.50 7.93
Sunflower seed husks 4.2 0.60 0.10 9.20 7.20 0.40 39.30 1.70 23.35
Cotton gin trash b 9.4 3.30 5.30 16.10 8.00 11.30 40.70
Annual ryegrass b 5.0 0.20 3.80 1.90 4.10 14.00
Bituminous coal 5-13 5-35 10-35 1-20 0.3-4 1-4 20-60
a
Fuel types of a ratio [(Na2O + K2O)/SiO2] above 2 require special precautions to avoid fouling
problems.
If the ratio is below 0.2, the erosion may occur unless precautions are taken.
btaken.
Insufficient information to calculate the ratio.
Table 2: Ash analysis of several biofuels.
ratio.

The most important techniques for biomass combustion are:

-Small scale: wood stoves, tiled stoves, underfeed stokers
-Large scale: moving grates, vibrating grates, bubbling and
circulating fluidised beds, pulverised combustors, cigar
combustor(straw).

List of Keywords:
Biomass; biofuel; biomass types; biomass composition; ash composition;
fouling; coal;

Glossary of terms used in Combustion File

Renewable energy: Energy from a inexhaustible resource and whose use
has small negative impact on the environment if proper technology is used.
Fossil fuel: Organic fuels obtained from organic matter natural
maturation during long periods of time (coal, oil, natural gas).
Heating value (Higher Heating Value, Lower Heating Value): Maximum
amount of energy that can be obtained from the combustion of a fuel.
Dedicated energy crops: Plants grown specifically to be used as biofuel.
Fixed-C: Fixed carbon, solid residue after the release of the volatile
components of the biofuel (ash free).

The information contained in this Combustion File is derived from the IFRF Combustion
Handbook (http://www.handbook.ifrf.net)
 IFRF 2000