Evaluation of the Performances of Biomass Briquettes Produced With
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enewa f R bl o e ls E a n t e n r e g Journal of y m a a Bandara and Kowshayini, J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl 2017, 8:1 n d d n u A F p DOI: 10.4172/2090-4541.1000247 f p Fundamentals of Renewable Energy o l i l ISSN: 2090-4541c a a n t r i o u n o s J and Applications Research Article Open Access Evaluation of the Performances of Biomass Briquettes Produced with Invasive Eichornia crassipes (Water hyacinth), Wood Residues and Cow Dung for Small and Medium Scale Industries Wartw Bandara* and P Kowshayini Department of Zoology and Environmental Management, University of Kelaniya,Kelaniya, Sri Lanka Abstract Conventional energy resources decrease worldwide with increasing population and technology advancement. Sustainable Energy Authority of Sri Lanka focuses on total replacement of fossil fuel by renewable energy sources by 2050. Water hyacinth is a renewable energy source as it has considerable energy potential within and it is invasive to Sri Lanka. This study aims to identify the ideal proportion of the saw dust: water hyacinth and cow dung: water hyacinth to produce briquettes for biomass boilers in industries. Saw dust was mixed with water hyacinth in 25:75-S1, 50:50-S2 and 75:25-S3 proportions. Cow dung was mixed with water hyacinth as above proportions (C1, C2 and C3). Energy briquettes were manufactured using screw type extruder briquetting machine. Energy properties including moisture content, volatile matter content, ash content, fixed carbon and calorific value and mechanical properties including bulk density, durability, water resistance capacity and water boiling time were measured and fuel wood value indices of briquettes were calculated. In saw dust-water hyacinth briquettes, there is no any significant difference between three types for fuel value indices and density. S2 type of briquettes perform better as they have significantly higher calorific value (19.17 kJ/g) and water resistance capacity (98.73%) and significantly lower moisture content (5.32%) and water boiling time (10 minutes). In cow dung-water hyacinth briquettes, C1 and C2 types of briquettes have significantly higher FVI. C2 type of briquette have significantly higher volatile matter content (75.54%) and significantly lower moisture content 5.81%) and fixed carbon content (10.0%). C1 type of briquettes took significantly lower time (21 minutes) to boil one litre of water. C2 type of water hyacinth-cow dung briquettes can be considered as the best in terms of energy and mechanical properties. Keywords: Renewable energy; Water hyacinth; Biomass briquettes policy is set out in its fourth Strategic Energy Policies (SEPs), adopted in 2014 which had outlined a goal of 70% energy self-sufficiency and Introduction 70% zero-emissions generation ratio by 2030. Ministry of Economy, Majority (90%) of world’s energy comes from non-renewable Trade and Industry (METI) in Japan prepared the 2015 “Long-Term conventional energy sources such as coal, crude oil and natural gases Energy Supply and Demand Outlook” to 2030 which was adopted in which have limited availability. Oil is the leading source of the world’s July 2015. It focuses the electricity supply mix for 2030, which projected energy consumption, accounting for 32.9% [1]. Increasing demand declines in the share for natural gas, coal and oil and return to nuclear by the world’s growing population for households, industries and energy and strong increments in renewable energy usage. It focuses on commercial buildings make non-renewable energy sources more scarer renewables more than in previous plans, where 13.5% of the electricity and it will lead to exhaust these resources in the near future. International generated in 2020 and 23% in 2030. According to the plan, hydropower Energy Outlook (2013) predicted that the energy consumption of will account for about 9% (corresponding to 93.9 to 98.1 TWh), 7% the world will grow by 56% between year 2010 and 2040 [2].On the of solar power (corresponding to 74.9 TWh) and 4.1% of biomass other hand, conventional energy sources are significant contributors (corresponding to between 39.4 and 49 TWh) [5,6]. China’s gross of global warming, and other environmental issues this affect human domestic product (GDP) grew by an estimated 9.2% in 2011 and by health. Security of supply and heightened environmental concern of 7.8% in 2012 and this ongoing high growth rate has drastically been conventional energy resources bring the attention to renewable energy increasing Chinese energy consumption. China being the world’s second sources in the world. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the potential of largest oil consumer is seeking to consolidate Chinese government renewable and environmental friendly alternative energy sources [3]. In energy policy and to formalize a more comprehensive energy agenda, 2010, 16.7% of global energy consumption was generated by renewable energy resources [4]. Hydropower is the leading global renewable energy source, supplying 71% for electricity generation of all renewable *Corresponding author: Wartw Bandara, Department of Zoology and electricity at the end of year 2015 [1]. Significant new development in Environmental Management, Faculty of Science, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, hydropower is concentrated in the markets of Asia particularly China, Sri Lanka, Tel: +94 112 903 903; E-mail: [email protected] Latin America and Africa. Bioenergy is the largest renewable energy Received November 02, 2017; Accepted December 19, 2017; Published source with 14% out of 18% renewables [1]. December 27, 2017 Bioenergy is shifting from being a traditional energy source to Citation: Bandara W, Kowshayini P (2017) Evaluation of the Performances of Biomass Briquettes Produced with Invasive Eichornia crassipes (Water hyacinth), rather a modern commodity. USA and Brazil lead the production and Wood Residues and Cow Dung for Small and Medium Scale Industries. J Fundam consumption of liquid biofuels for transport. Electricity production Renewable Energy Appl 8: 247. doi:10.4172/20904541.1000247 from forest products and residues type of biomass is prominent Copyright: © 2017 Bandara W, et al. This is an open-access article distributed in Europe and North America. In the past few years, biomass usage under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits increases in developing countries in Asia and Africa [1]. Japanese energy unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl, an open access journal ISSN: 2090-4541 Volume 8 • Issue 1 • 1000247 Citation: Bandara W, Kowshayini P (2017) Evaluation of the Performances of Biomass Briquettes Produced with Invasive Eichornia crassipes (Water hyacinth), Wood Residues and Cow Dung for Small and Medium Scale Industries. J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl 8: 247. doi:10.4172/20904541.1000247 Page 2 of 8 incorporating new and lower carbon technologies as an element extruder briquetting machine with die and punch performs better than of national energy planning. In Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), China piston press as it produces briquettes with materials of moisture content expects to reduce energy and carbon intensity via enhanced energy less than 10%, output from the machine is continuous, briquettes are efficiency and diversification of the energy mix by being the world’s denser and stronger and more suitable to use in boilers, kilns and largest hydropower producer. Indian energy policy focuses on securing gasifiers. energy sources for sustainable economic development. Ministry of New Combustion performance of briquettes are very good as the and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in India aims to increase the share of central hole incorporated into briquettes produced by a screw extruder renewable energy to 6% of India’s total energy matrix and to 10% of helps to achieve uniform and efficient combustion and also surfaces the electricity mix by 2022. According MNRE, India has 288 biomass of these briquettes are carbonized and require low maintenance power and cogeneration plants generate 2.7 GW of installed capacity [16,17]. Briquettes have several advantages over fuel wood in terms of with the potential to reach 18 GW in total generating capacity [7]. greater heat intensity and uniform and ideal physical dimensions and In Sri Lanka, a National Energy Policy was introduced in 2006, combustion characteristics result in more efficient energy conversion highlighting the importance of promoting energy efficiency and [18]. Compared to fire wood or loose biomass, briquettes give much conservation and the main thrust of the policy is to promote indigenous higher thermal efficiency because of low moisture and higher density. energy resources. In 2006, electricity production from renewable Briquettes make handling, storage and transportation easy compared to energy sources in Sri Lanka was so far limited to investors who could raw agricultural residues and wastes and also it resolve the disposal and afford around USD one million. The 'Net Metering' scheme was pollution issues often created by biomass residues [19,20]. Briquettes introduced in Sri Lanka by the government for the first time in 2009 can fill the energy gap in cooking and water heating in households, in order to allow electricity consumers to produce and sell electricity heating productive processes such as tobacco curing, fruits, tea drying, to the national grid. This is a great step to harness renewable energy poultry rearing, firing ceramics and clay wares such as improved cook resources island wide in small scale. According to the estimation, a 70% stoves, pottery, bricks, fuel for gasifiers to generate electricity and of the national biomass consumption comes under the informal sector, powering boilers to generate steam. Therefore, briquetting aids efficient for household cooking, small commercial and industrial applications utilization of biomass wastes and it avoids dust pollution associated and the rest is utilized for industrial usage and electricity generation.