Biomass

CompositionofMunicipalSolidWaste

EnergyRetrievalfromRecycling

IncinerationandIncineratorAsh

SecureLandfills

EfficiencyofConversionofSunlightintoBiomass

MethaneDigesters

AlternativeBiomassFuelsforVehicles

WoodCombustion

EnergyPlantations
EnergyintheNews

CompositionofUrbanGarbage
WilliamRathje
Garbologist

WhendidArizona
Residentsthrowout
themostmeat?

CompositionofSolidWaste:23Cities

WasteGenerationRatesoverTime

ChangesinDisposalMethods

 EnergeticsofRecyclingandSubstitution

Energy Cost of Various Materials

Paper Cups 36 Styrofoam Cups 1
Steel from Ore 23 Steel From Scrap 1
Aluminum from Ore 43 Aluminum from Scrap 1
Copper from Ore 4.3 Copper from Scrap 1
Glass from Ore 1.3 Glass from Cullet 1

 Biodegradability

Biodegradabilityingarbagedumps:annonissue.
Rapidbiodegradation:requiresoxygenand/orwater.
Rathje:perfectlypreservedyearsoldmeatandvegetables!

 WastetoEnergyPlant

Lockedintolongtermcontract:maydiscouragerecycling
Flyash:Bottomash:Wherecollectedandtransported?

 MetalinIncineratorAsh
Flyash:fromelectrostaticprecipitators.Bottomash:bottomofboiler
Whichismostdangerous??

Additionalconcerns:dioxinfromburningofchlorinecontaining

compounds(plastics,etc.).Dioxin:carcinogen,endocrinedisrupter
 RecyclingTrivia
Americansconsume2.5millionplasticbottleseveryhour

Ifyoudrink2cansofsoftdrinkperdayinaluminumcansandcansare
notrecycled,youwastemoreenergythanisuseddailybyonehumanin
thelesserdevelopedcountries

RecyclingonealuminumcansavesenoughenergytorunaTVfor3
hours

RecyclingofallpaperusedintheSundayeditionoftheNewYork
Timeswouldsave75,000treesperyear

FlyAshDumpinKorbaIndia
(frompowerplant)

Novegetation.

FlyAshDumpinBadarpur,India

Reclaimedusingmycorrihizalfungi(bioremediation)
Alsosmallamountsofcompost.
Reducesairpollutionfromflyashdump.

 Blacklayersontopandbottom:liner
SecureLandfill Linerthickness:about1/3inch
Circlesonbottom:leachatepipes
Note:Gasvent,lowpermeabilitysoil,
filterlayer,barrierlayer,drainagelayer

PercentTrashDisposalinLandfills

BiomassProductionvsEnergyUse
Usesofbiomass
Asidefromenergy?

 Biomassto
Fuel
Conversions
Results:
Alcohol(Ethanol)
Biogas(Methane)
Syngas
Gasoline(Biocrude)
DieselFuel(PlantOil)

MethodsofBiomasstoEnergy
Conversion
Directcombustion

Pyrolysis:thermaldecompositionintogasorliquid
Involveshightemperatures(500900C),lowoxygen

Biochemicalprocesses:
Anaerobicdigestionbymethanogens
Controlledfermentationproducesalcohols:
Ethanol(grainalcohol)
Methanol(woodalcohol)

 AnaerobicDigester

Convertsanimalorplantwaste
Intomethane

Typicalwastes:
Manure(feedlots,pigfarms,poultry)
Oliveoilmillwaste
Potatoprocessingwaste

Bigdeal:AgriculturalScienceDepts

 OptimumOperatingTemperature
35C,maximumlitersofmethaneperday,bestretentiontime?

 CelluloseHighSolidsFermenter

Adjustingagitatorshaftofhighsolidsfermenter.Producesmethanegas,
highqualitycompostfromsewagesludge,use1/20ththewater

Comparedtoconventionaldigesters.Downside:agitatorneeded.
 EnergyUsedtoGrowvsFoodEnergy

Ethanolfromcorn:1.74pergallontoproducevs95centspergallon
Ofgasoline.
70%moreenergytomakeethanolfromUScornthanenergyinethanol
Gooduseofethanol:oxidizertoreplaceMTBEingasoline

10%ethanolboostsoctaneratingofgasoline,replaceslead.
EnergyContributionstoBreadLoaf
Grainproduction,Baking,Transport,Milling,Shops,Packaging

 EnergyinBiomass
Onlyasmallamountenergyinsunlightconvertedintobiomassby
plants.
Conversionefficiencyvaries:
Sugarcane:2%
Corn:1%
Typicalforest:0.8%
Mostfoodplants:<0.8%
Maximumtheoreticalefficiency:10%

 SugarCane

Sugarcane:veryhighproductivityperacre.Usebagasse
(sugarcanewaste)torunboilerstoboilsapforsugar.
Bagassetoenergyplants:7%ofHawaiianenergy
(Mauritius)
BagassetoMethanePlant:Hilo,HI

 HempPlants
Advantages:4timesasmuchpulpperacreaswood,nopesticidesneeded
Canmakecloth,ropepaper.Doesneednitrogenfertilizer.
Notgoodtosmoke.17631767Virginiafarmersjailedifnohempgrown.

 FourYearOld
Eucalyptus:Hawaii

Eucalyptus:producehighamounts
Ofbiomassunderdrierconditions
Thanhemp.Veryhardyspecies.

 PlantsasSourcesofPetroleum
LikeSubstances
Gopherplant:growswildinCalifornia:25barrelsofcrudeoilper
hectare

Copaiferamultijuga:foundinBrazil:producesalmostpuredieselfuel

Bladderpod:canbeusedtomakeplastic

Jojoba:50%oilbyweigh:resemblesspermoil:doesntgorancid

PlasticsMadefromPyrolysisOil
(WoodChipWaste)

 LowCost,EfficientWoodstoves
AIndia,B.NepalC.Guatemala,
Mostoftheworldcookswithwood.Typicalwoodstove:
Only10%efficient.Timetocollectwood:2to5hoursperday.
80%offueluseindevelopingworld;woodforcooking.
Majorcauseofdeforestation,soilerosion.

ComparableEfficiencyValues
Efficiency:multiplyby100.

 RocketStovevsThreeStoneFire
RocketStove:insulatedfirebox,shortchimney,cooksontopof
Chimney,skirtsurroundspot.BuiltinGuatemala.

 RocketStove

 AdditionofHaybox
Haybox:insulatedbox.Foodplacedinboxandleftoncewaterheated
toboilingpoint.Foodcontinuestocookwithoutfire.(Why?)

 AirTight
Stove
Stovehaslowerchamber
Withburningwood,
Upperchamberwith
Secondarycombustion
Longpathforexhaustgas
=morecompleteburning
Notehighsurfaceareaof
Stove.
About50%efficient