Jyoti Green Energy Transmission

Applications

As was mentioned earlier the main applications of biomass gasifier are:

) Direct heat applications

e a number of manufacturers catering to the onrm machinery gasification systems . Small scale electricity generation systems also

ries .  There is no reason why

ch systems cannot become popular in developed countries especially when there have been

ation is running of Stirling engines .  These engines have

ery high efficiencies and may prove to be  a better alternative than internal combustion

tion.  Another interesting

pplication may be use of producer gas to run a fuel cell plant.  The energy density of such a

arm applications biomass residues are attractive proposition.  However, before

ny large scale application of gasification is undertaken the fuel availability is to be critically

0 days/year will

quire about 213 acres of cotton plantation to produce the required cotton stalks.  Against

 availability is not adequate then the decision has to be made about

nning it on wood. However such decisions can only be made at specific sites and for

  For example, grain drying can have biomass gasifier/solar coupling. 

a) Shaft power systems

b

c) Chemical production

In the shaft power systems the main agriculture applications are driving of farm machinery

like tractors, harvesters etc.  There are quit

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fa

provide an attractive alternative to utilities.

Another useful application of producer gas units is in irrigation systems.  This seems to be the

most to be the most important application in developing count

7

su

quite a number of solar powered irrigation systems installed

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 .

Direct heat systems, because of their simplicity, may prove to have biggest applications in

agriculture.  Among them are grain drying, green house heating and running of absorption

refrigeration and cooling systems.  Again these systems can be coupled to other renewable

energy systems like solar for thermal applications.  Another interesting application for direct

heat (external combustion) applic

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v

engine running on producer gas.

Production of chemicals like Methanol and Formic acid from producer gas is a recent

phenomenon

5

 However with fossil fuels getting  scarcer, production of these chemicals by  .

producer gas may prove to be an economically feasible proposi

a

plant would be highly favorable as compared to IC engine systems.

However for all these applications the most important ingredient is the availability of biomass

fuel.  For on f

a

ascertained.  

As an example it is instructive to look at the land area required, for a gasifier to run on cotton

stalks (biomass residue) as fuel. On an average, quantity of stalks harvested is 1.5

tons/acre/yr

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Thus a 100 kW gasifier running at 8 hours per day for 30  .

re

such background all the future applications of gasifiers should be evaluated.

If the biomass residue

ru

specific applications. 

Just like in any other alternative energy source it is advisable to use hybrid systems, similarly

in biomass gasifications systems also it will be worthwhile to use them in conjunction with

other energy systems.17

Only in specific cases of methanol or chemical production, should the gasification system be

used as separate one.