Drying Biomass Feedstock During Gasification Process

The moisture content of the feedstock affects the gas composition and the energy balance of the process since gasification is an endothermic process. Water vapor, however, is an essential component of gasification reactions. Therefore, there is a trade-off between the extent of fuel drying and the quality of product gas. Drying of the feedstock to a moisture content of approximately 15% is commonly adopted. Fuel drying is likely to be the most energy intensive activity in the biomass gasification process. Important contributions can be made to the energy balance by using flue gases or steam to dry the biomass. The heat used for drying does not have to be high temperature, and a low temperature level is actually desired because it will prevent the evaporation of undesirable organic components. (more…)

The Future of Solar Energy Through Photosynthesis

solar energy photosynthesis
In the mid-1880s, Charles Fritts built the first solar cell formed by selenium coated with a thin layer of gold and with an energy efficiency of 1%. However, it was not until 1954 that Bell Labs discovered accidentally that would be the first commercial solar cell, with silicon as the base. (more…)

Evaporation and Boiling

evaporation boiling
If water is put on the floor on a cleaning operation, it tends to dry rapidly after a short time. In this position, we say that the water evaporates. Basically what happened is this means that changes in water levels from liquid to gas or steam. Evaporation occurs when molecules escape the surface of a liquid when they have enough kinetic energy to go off from the body of liquid. (more…)