"Steam explosion treated biomass as a renewable fuel source: A review f" by Rajarshi Roy, Barron Hewetson et al.
 

Steam explosion treated biomass as a renewable fuel source: A review from collection to combustion

Keywords

renewable energy, green technology, biofuel, pollution control, black pellets, power generation

Abstract

With the rapid decarbonization of the energy industry, a viable alternative to coal in power plants is essential. Two important fuel properties to be considered in a coal substitute are high energy density and grindability. Steam-exploded (SE) biomass pellets have characteristics that are sufficiently similar to coal in both these respects. Steam explosion is a hydrothermal treatment method which violently ruptures the lignocellulosic structure of the biomass, and makes it more conducive to milling and combustion. Included herein is a review of the unit operations, advantages and disadvantages compared to torrefaction and regular pelletizing, economic analysis, lifecycle assessment, and research needs of the SE process. The SE process improves the tensile strength, durability, and water-resistance of biomass, which alleviates transportation costs and mitigates degradation and fire hazards during fuel storage. SE can be applied to a range of biomass resources including agricultural residue, industrial waste, forest residue, and fast-growing crops. Instances where SE biomass has been co-milled and co-fired with coal in industrial-scale pulverizers and boilers are summarized. The combustion of steam-exploded biomass reduces particulate matter, NOx, and SO2 emissions compared to coal combustion. The key conclusion is that steam-exploded ‘black pellets’ can be used as a sustainable and low-polluting fuel in existing coal-fired electric utility boilers without retrofitting existing equipment. The uniqueness of this review is that it presents a complete summary of relevant industrial operations, from the collection to the combustion of steam-exploded biomass, and offers insight into the technical and commercial challenges facing the biomass treatment industry.

Original Publication Citation

Roy, R., Hewetson, B., Schooff, B., Bandi, S., LaTour, P., Iverson, B. D., and Fry, A., 2024, “Steam explosion treated biomass as a renewable fuel source: a review from collection to combustion,” Fuel, Vol. 378, p. 132883. DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2024.132883

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2024-12-15

Publisher

Fuel

Language

English

College

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering

Department

Mechanical Engineering

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

Plum Print visual indicator of research metrics
PlumX Metrics
  • Usage
    • Abstract Views: 7
see details

Share

COinS