Carbon dioxide biomass burning

The role of carbon dioxide in the Earth s radiation budget merits this interest in atmospheric CO2. There are, however, other changes of importance. The atmospheric methane concentration is increasing, probably as a result of increasing cattle populations, rice production, and biomass burning (Crutzen, 1983). Increasing methane concentrations are important because of the role it plays in stratospheric and... 

When fuels are derived from biomass, the net increase in carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is usually considered to be neutral or even negative since the plants used to produce the alcohol fuel have reabsorbed the same or more carbon than is emitted from burning the fuel. The net effect may not be as favorable when the carbon dioxide emitted by equipment for the harvesting of the biomass feedstocks is considered in the balance. Much of this depends on the differences in equipment, farming techniques and other regional factors. 

Carbon dioxide is present in the atmosphere at about 0.03 vol.% and also in water as dissolved gas or carbonate. It is estimated that carbon dioxide follows a 350-year life cycle as it passes from air and water, into organic compounds, and then returns. The use of biomass as fuel will keep this carbon dioxide balance in check if the userreplacement ratio of biomass remains equally balanced. Burning fossil fuels, by comparison, does not provide the immediate opportunity or option for replacement. 

Wood is part of an array of plant matter referred to as biomass that can be burned to produce energy. The combustible substances in biomass are primarily carbohydrates (and of these, primarily cellulose). Cellulose, whose simplest or empirical formula is CH20, undergoes combustion to form carbon dioxide and water. 

Biodiesel potentially offers environmental advantages over conventional diesel fuel. Most important, it converts waste cooking oil into a useful product, reducing the amount of waste going into landfills and replacing some of the petroleum that must be burned. Also, biodiesel comes from biomass that has been recently synthesized from atmospheric carbon dioxide, so the cycle of its production and use might not add as much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as does the burning of petroleum-based diesel fuels. 

During complete combustion, the burning of biomass matter produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor as the primary products, according to the reaction... 

While biomass generally involves the burning of material it differs from fossil fuels in that no more heat or carbon dioxide is produced than would be produced by natural processes. As such, it is referred to as carbon neutral. However, it still produces CO2 and a range of other pollutants including nitrogen oxides, ash, but virtually no SO2. A further environmental benefit is that the combustion of landfill gas avoids accidental explosions and prevents the release of methane, which is more potent as a greenhouse gas. 

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