Biomass for fuel productivity

Biomass for fuel production could be considered material that is either directly or indirectly derived from biological sources such as products of agriculture and forestry. As a fuel source, biomass is considered renewable and one that does not... 

For Further Reading J. J. Sheehan, Chapter 1 Bio-conversion for production of renewable transportation fuels in the United States, a strategic perspective, ACS Symposium Series No. 566, Enzymatic conversion of biomass for fuels production, M. E. Himmel, J. O. Baker, and R. P. Overend (Eds.). (Washington, DC American Chemical Society, 1994). 

Philippidis, G. R, Cellulase production technology - Evaluation of current status. Enzymatic Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production 1994, 566, 188 217. 

Brummell DA, Lashbrook CC, Bennett AB (1994) Plant endo-l,4-P-D-glucanases. In Himmel ME, Baker JO, Overend RP (eds) Enzymatic conversion of biomass for fuels production. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, p 100... 

Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production. ACS Symp 566. Washington, DC, 1994. (b) JN Saddler, MH Penner, eds. Enzymatic Degradation of Insoluble Carbohydrates. ACS Symp 618. Washington, DC, 1995. (c) L Olsson, B Hahn-Hagerdal. Enzyme Microb Technol 1996 18 312. (d) M McCoy. Chem Eng News 1998 Dec 7 29. 

McMillan, J.D. In Enzymatic Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production. Himmel, M.E. Baker, J.O. Overend, RJ. Eds, ACS Symposium Series 566, Ammcan Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 1994,566,292-324. 

G. Tayhas, R. Palmore, G. M. Whitesides, Enzymatic Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production, ACS Symposium Series No. 566,1994, pp. 271-290, Chap. 14. 

There is not only a need but also an urge to use waste biomass resources in the production of biofuels, due to the many envirorunental and economic impacts from the conventional fossil-based transportation fuels. The conversion routes applied to biomass for fuel production widely include thermo-chemical, hydrothermal and biochemical. All the three conversion methods are well-suited to achieve the energy requirements for being ecofriendly processes. However, in the present context both thermochemical and hydro-thermal conversion are foimd effective to produce an energy dense liquid bio-oil that could not only be used as a transportation fuel but also for heat and power generation. 

Roessler, P.G., Brown, L.M., Dunahay, T.G., Heacox, D.A., Jarvis, E.E., Schneida-, J.C., Talbot, S.G., Zeiler, K.G., 1994. Genetic engineering approaches for enhanced production of biodiesel fuel from microalgae. ACS Symp. Ser. 566, 255-270 (Enzymatic conversion of biomass for fuels production). 

Piron-Fraipont C., Dujardin E., Sironval C. (1981) Increasing biomass for fuel production by using waste luke-warm water from industries. 

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis requires a stochiometric H2 CO ratio of 2.1 1. If coal or biomass are used as feedstock, the raw syngas contains much less hydrogen than needed. Hence, CO is reacted with water to form C02 and hydrogen in the shift reactor. As the C02 cannot be used in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, part of the carbon for fuel production is lost in this process. If external hydrogen is added to increase the H2 CO ratio, the carbon of the coal or biomass is more effectively used and the hydrocarbon product yield is improved. 

The additional and steadily increasing demand for biofuels could lead to a situation where production of biomass derived fuels finally compete with food production. People who can afford cars can pay more for biomass for fuels than people in non-industrialised countries can pay for food production. Fertile soil in non-industrial countries might then be used for energy crops instead of food. This may eventually lead to a situation where only bad soil is left for food crops and the poor, which in addition would eventually also lead to further deforestation of the World s rainforests. 

One reason why interest in aquatic biomass has developed so rapidly, and with such driving force, is that algae are better converters of solar energy (T = 6-8% under natural conditions, up to 9-10% in bioreactors) than are terrestrial plants (T = 1.5—2.2%), and also have a better potential for fuel production diversification... 

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