On-Line Analysis for Enabling Effective Production and Usage of Biomass Fuels

Biomass is an attractive energy source because it is renewable and it is more evenly distributed over the earth & apos;s surface than fossil fuel energy sources. Combustion of biomass emits less net carbon dioxide (CO2) to the environment than fossil fuels because biomass crops remove carbon dioxide and emit oxygen in the atmosphere while they grow and then reverse the process during combustion. The net CO2 to the atmosphere is a measure of the external work to grow the biomass and take it through its combustion cycle Wood remains the largest biomass energy source today and the predominant means of use is by blending it with coal. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), biomass is growing as a source of electricity -- its production is up 14 percent in the past 10 years. However, the technologies being used to burn the biomass are outdated (many were created during the Carter administration), and as a result have been fined for violating air-pollution or water-pollution standards, says the Wall Street Journal. Despite the failure of companies to keep up with standards, they still receive funding from state and local governments to create and use biomass. There are great benefits to be realized through the use of biomass, but the knowledge of how to do that is still in its infancy. William Rosen in his review of the innovations it took to harness steam energy stated that, without feedback from precise measurement, invention is doomed to be rare and erratic, but with it, invention becomes commonplace. So too, precise measurement in the use and properties of biomass fuels should enable rapid progress in their successful adoption. During the past two decades on-line analyzers that give immediate analyses of coal quality and composition have helped in improving coal quality and combustion efficiency and in meeting EPA standards. The same technology has the capability of providing near real-time analyses of biomass composition and characteristics. However, the two predominant types of analyzers that are now being used for coal each have shortcomings with respect to measuring biomass and biomass-coal blends. This project will develop an analyzer that is specifically suited for use with biomass and combinations of biomass and other fuels. The analyzer will measure material density, the percentage of moisture, the percentage of the elements, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, and ash elements, such as, iron, aluminum, silicon, calcium, etc., and it will calculate calorific value of the material being analyzed. This project development will take advantage of thirty-year old current technology that is continuing to advance and will make modifications that are needed for this new application. The new analyzers will be cost effective, will be designed to fit into processes where measurements are needed, and will be user friendly.