Biomass sustainable processing

Biomass-based processes for the production of hydrogen can be either thermochemical or biological and can produce this clean carrier directly or through an intermediate, storable product. Also, the use of coproducts has to be addressed to improve the process economics and in view of the sustainability of using this natural resource. A recent overview of the status of the different technologies is given in an IEA/NREL review5 and further by Czernik et al.8... 

Bridgwater AV and Peacocke GVC, "Fast pyrolysis processes for biomass", Sustainable and Renewable Energy Reviews, 4(1) 1-73 (Elsevier, 1999)... 

These preliminary experiments indicate that pyrolysis of agricultural biomass appears to have a good potential for small scale production of fuels for farm operations. The kiln was easily started and operated and would require little supervision for continuous operation. Thermal efficiencies for a self-sustaining process are expected to be about 65%. 

Our colleagues in the ECN Biomass and Energy Efficiency Sustainable Process Technology group are acknowledged for their various contributions to this paper. 

Association s (lEA) definition, a biorefinery is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable products (food, feed, materials, chemicals) and energy (fuels, power, heat) (De Jong et ah, 2009). 

Biorefining is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable products and energy. ... 

Sustainable preparation of biofuels from biomass makes it desirable to recover nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrient elements from the biomass during processing and return these materials to soil. Chemically fixed nitrogen, predominantly in the form of proteins in the biofuels, is lost during biofuel production, but nitrogen supply from the vast atmospheric reservoir of N2 makes nitrogen loss a nonproblem. 

With the growing industrial interest in the production of biofuels, the most important areas that need attention and research seem to be (i) scale-up, (ii) cost efficiency, (iii) better fuel properties, (iv) norms and standards for producers and end-users, (v) environment health and safety issues in biomass io el handling, transportation and usage, (vi) encouragement to implement thermo-chemical processes and applications, (vii) efficient utilization of byproducts for value-added chemical or material production, and (viii) information dissemination. The biomass conversion process can be economically viable if used in an integrated manner for generation of other marketable co-products in addition to the primary biofuel product, thus contributing to sustainable development. 

Animal fats (mainly lard, taUow, and chicken), insects, soapstocks, or microorganisms for oil production (eg, microbial oil from yeast, microalgae, molds, bacteria, and cyanobacteria) were compared as cheap sources of biomass for renewable biofuel production by the author and her coworkers in 2014 and can be consulted (Pinzi et al., 2014). Biodiesel production from microbial oil, food waste, or algae, among others, as well as challenging techniques for sustainable processing, is covered later in this book. 

An equally important factor is the biomass/oxygen ratio. If oxygen is deficient, then the biomass cannot be sustained under aerobic conditions. Thus, control of the oxygen supply becomes important. In fact, in bioremediation the most important part of the design is the provision of an appropriate level of oxygen supply to maintain an efficient process. 

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