Biomass Liquefaction:

 “Liquefaction” of biomass mainly takes place through two processes-

i. Liquefaction through pyrolysis process without any gasification medium:
a) Pyrolysis liquid can be used directly as heating oil.
b) Low pH of pyrolysis liquid that arises from organic acids makes
the liquid highly corrosive.
c) Heating value pyrolysis liquid: 17-20 MJ/kg.
d) Liquid density: 1280 kg/m3.

ii. Liquefaction through methanol synthesis with gasification medium:

a) Liquefaction through gasification method includes the production
of methanol from mixture of H2 and CO (producer gas).

2H 2  CO 150
 CH3OH
o
330 C
atm

b) H2 and CO required for this process is produced by gasification

biomass fuel.

Compiled by: Mohd Rizwan Khalid

Electrical Engineering Department, A.M.U.
Biomass-to-Ethanol Production

 Ethanol is manufactured by action of microorganism on

carbohydrates (process is known as alcoholic fermentation).
 Carbohydrates (saccharides) are divided into three major classes in
order of increasing complexity-
i) Monosaccharides:
a) These are simple hydrocarbons, that can't be hydrolyzed into
further simple compound.
b) Most common monosaccharides: glucose (C6H12O6)/fructose
(C6H12O6).
c) Glucose occurs naturally in sweet fruits (ripe
grapes/honey/etc…).

ii) Oligosaccharides:
 On hydrolyzes oligosaccharides yields 2-10 monosaccharide.
 Example: Disaccharide (sucrose/maltose…) produces 2
monosaccharide molecules on hydrolyzes.

iii) Polysaccharides:
 These are high molecular mass carbohydrates which yields large
number of monosaccharides molecules on hydrolyzes.
 Examples: Starch and Cellulose (C6H10O5)n.
 Starch occurs naturally in all plants, particularly in seeds.
 Cellulose is main constituent of cell walls of plants. Wood contains
45-50%, while cotton contains 90-95% of cellulose.

Compiled by: Mohd Rizwan Khalid

Electrical Engineering Department, A.M.U.
  Monosaccharides and oligosaccharides are crystalline solids,
soluble in water and sweet in taste (also known as sugar).
 Polysaccharides on other hand are amorphous, insoluble in water,
and tasteless (known as non-sugar).
 Hexose (glucose/fructose) required for ethanol fermentation is
obtained from sucrose/starch/cellulose.
C12 H 22O11 ( Sucrose) 
Hydrolysis
 C6 H12O6 (Glu cos e)  C6 H12O6 ( Fructose)

2(C6 H10O5 )n ( Starch)  nH 2O 

 nC12 H 22O11 ( Maltose)  nH 2O

 2nC6 H12O6 (Glu cos e)

(C6 H10O5 ) n (Cellulose)  nH 2O 

 nC6 H12O6 (Glu cos e)

 Finally, ethanol is obtained from fermentation of hexose sugar.

C6 H12O6 ( Hexose)   2C2 H 5OH ( Ethanol )  2CO2

o
32 C ( Fermentation )

 Fermentation of simple sugars to ethanol in absence of air is

carried out either in batches or continuously. This is a slow process
(reaction) and after 36 hours, 94% sugar is utilized.
Natural Sugars (Cane/ Sugars
beat/fruits/e.t.c...)

Fermentation
Starch Hydrolysis
Grains: Barley/maize/e.t.c… (Simple) 10% Ethanol
Tubers: Potato/cassava/e.t.c...
Fractional
Distillation
Hydrolysis 95% ethanol, commercial
Cellulose (wood/straw/e.t.c...)
(Difficult) ethanol, petroleum
substitute
Azeotropic
Distillation

99.7% ethanol, anhydrous

ethanol, petrol additive

“Ethanol production from various types of biomass and conversion to fuel”

Compiled by: Mohd Rizwan Khalid

Electrical Engineering Department, A.M.U.