EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

A greener approach to sustainable energy production is by processing and burning biomass. Readily abundant across the globe, biomass can be obtained largely from agricultural, domestic and industrial processes. The growing concern for an energy source that is environmentally friendly, socially acce...

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Main Authors: Samuel Oludayo ALAMU, Marc J Louise CABALLES, Xuejun QIAN, Seong LEE, James G. HUNTER Jr.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UJ Press 2021-07-01
Series:Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/570
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author Samuel Oludayo ALAMU
Marc J Louise CABALLES
Xuejun QIAN
Seong LEE
James G. HUNTER Jr.
author_facet Samuel Oludayo ALAMU
Marc J Louise CABALLES
Xuejun QIAN
Seong LEE
James G. HUNTER Jr.
author_sort Samuel Oludayo ALAMU
collection DOAJ
description A greener approach to sustainable energy production is by processing and burning biomass. Readily abundant across the globe, biomass can be obtained largely from agricultural, domestic and industrial processes. The growing concern for an energy source that is environmentally friendly, socially acceptable, and economically feasible, prompts researchers to explore the conversion of everyday biomass wastes in the form of municipal solid waste (MSW) and agricultural wastes (such as poultry litters, wood pellets) to useful energy(i.e., heat or electricity). This research work studied the two broad biomass conversion processes- thermochemical and biochemical. A comparative study was performed using poultry litter as the biomass feedstock in both conversion processes. The obtained data was justified considering the environmental, economic and social impacts of the biomass-to-energy source. At an industrial scale, biochemical processes are capital intensive as pre-treatment and post-treatment of both feedstocks and products are required. In addition, more reaction time is required for product formation and high volume of secondary wastes (sludge) are generated during the process. On the other hand, burning of biomass waste has been largely considered as a better approach due to the fact that the CO2 generated during the process is being balanced by an equivalent amount that plants capture through photosynthesis while they are growing, thus making biomass a carbon-neutral energy source.  However, raw biomass possesses low density (30–50 kg/m3) and high moisture content that limits its usage for thermochemical processes. Therefore, the inclusion of a pelletizing process which allows easier economic storage, transportation, and energy conversion characteristics, is considered as an efficient and sustainable approach to biomass-to-energy conversion
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-85ab0a81f50c4398862bc10373086f462025-01-08T06:09:07ZengUJ PressJournal of Construction Project Management and Innovation2223-78522959-96522021-07-0111110.36615/jcpmi.v11i1.570EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGYSamuel Oludayo ALAMU0Marc J Louise CABALLES1Xuejun QIAN2Seong LEE3James G. HUNTER Jr.4Morgan State University, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 1700 E Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore, Maryland 21251 U.S.A.Morgan State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, USAMorgan State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, USAMorgan State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, USAMorgan State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, USA A greener approach to sustainable energy production is by processing and burning biomass. Readily abundant across the globe, biomass can be obtained largely from agricultural, domestic and industrial processes. The growing concern for an energy source that is environmentally friendly, socially acceptable, and economically feasible, prompts researchers to explore the conversion of everyday biomass wastes in the form of municipal solid waste (MSW) and agricultural wastes (such as poultry litters, wood pellets) to useful energy(i.e., heat or electricity). This research work studied the two broad biomass conversion processes- thermochemical and biochemical. A comparative study was performed using poultry litter as the biomass feedstock in both conversion processes. The obtained data was justified considering the environmental, economic and social impacts of the biomass-to-energy source. At an industrial scale, biochemical processes are capital intensive as pre-treatment and post-treatment of both feedstocks and products are required. In addition, more reaction time is required for product formation and high volume of secondary wastes (sludge) are generated during the process. On the other hand, burning of biomass waste has been largely considered as a better approach due to the fact that the CO2 generated during the process is being balanced by an equivalent amount that plants capture through photosynthesis while they are growing, thus making biomass a carbon-neutral energy source.  However, raw biomass possesses low density (30–50 kg/m3) and high moisture content that limits its usage for thermochemical processes. Therefore, the inclusion of a pelletizing process which allows easier economic storage, transportation, and energy conversion characteristics, is considered as an efficient and sustainable approach to biomass-to-energy conversion https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/570BiomassBiochemicalThermochemicalPoultry litterMunicipal Solid Waste (MSW)Greenhouse gases (GHG)
spellingShingle Samuel Oludayo ALAMU
Marc J Louise CABALLES
Xuejun QIAN
Seong LEE
James G. HUNTER Jr.
EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Journal of Construction Project Management and Innovation
Biomass
Biochemical
Thermochemical
Poultry litter
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Greenhouse gases (GHG)
title EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
title_full EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
title_fullStr EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
title_full_unstemmed EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
title_short EFFICIENT BIOMASS CONVERSION PROCESS TO SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
title_sort efficient biomass conversion process to sustainable energy
topic Biomass
Biochemical
Thermochemical
Poultry litter
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
Greenhouse gases (GHG)
url https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/JCPMI/article/view/570
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AT marcjlouisecaballes efficientbiomassconversionprocesstosustainableenergy
AT xuejunqian efficientbiomassconversionprocesstosustainableenergy
AT seonglee efficientbiomassconversionprocesstosustainableenergy
AT jamesghunterjr efficientbiomassconversionprocesstosustainableenergy