Odia scientist-led team
develops tech for producing biofuel
Saturday, 11
July 2020 | SUDHIR MISHRA | BALANGIR
The present scenario
calls for production of biofuels using green technology. The term biofuel
is referred to as liquid or gaseous fuels that are predominantly produced from
biomass. Biofuels are important because they can replace petroleum based fuels.
Biofuels are generally
considered as offering many priorities, including sustainability, reduction of
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, regional development, social structure and
agriculture, and security of energy supply, says Dr Sanjib Kumar Karmee, Principal
Scientist and Head of Thermo-Chemical Conversion Division Sardar Patel
Renewable Energy Research Institute Anand,Gujarat.
In the above context,
biomass, in particular forestry (sawdust) and agricultural wastes, are best
sources to meet the energy demands of the future as it is not only renewable
but also environmentally friendly ,says Dr Karmee further.
The energy obtained from
biomass is used mainly for heat production, electricity, and as liquid fuels
for vehicles. Various advanced technologies have been developed to obtain
biofuels and chemicals from biomass, which include the hydrothermal process,
pyrolysis and combustion.
Pyrolysis of biomass is
one of the most efficient technologies used to produce biofuels. The process is
carried out at elevated temperatures under an inert atmosphere which is
maintained using either argon or nitrogen gases. The process generates bio-oil,
biochar (solid), and pyro-gas (gaseous products), explains Dr Karmee further.
To conduct pyrolysis
experiments the Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute has designed
and developed a new pyrolysis plant to produce biofuels from saw-dust and agro
residues. A team led by Odia Scientist Dr Karmee has demonstrated
that biomass can be successfully converted into biofuels using both batch and
pilot scale system. The newly developed pilot system has important industrial
significance since it can operate at 15 kg/hr scale. The results of these
experiments are published in the Fuel journal (Elsevier), informs Dr Karmee
further.
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