top  > What is biomass ?

The "biomass" It is unfamiliar language. The biomass is the organic substance of the living thing origin which can be used as materials and fuel. We exist very close and, as for the organic substance called this biomass, wood, dryness grass, stock raising waste, sewer sludge, a seaweed, etc. correspond to this. When using these as materials, does it become charcoal by applying heat to wood and a tree? It can use for charcoal cleaning water etc. From stock raising waste and the so-called livestock feces and urine, inflammable gas called methane can be done and it can use as fuel. Thus, from what exists in a nature, the organic substance which can be used as materials and fuel is called the biomass. There is a use limit in the oil and coal which are called fossil energy, and natural gas. On the other hand, since this biomass makes a living thing the origin, if it uses well, it will be the resources which can be used semipermanently.

The definition of the biomass in the alternative energy promoting method What is the organic substance originating in animals and plants, and can be used as energy resources . (The product manufactured crude oil, petroleum gas, inflammable natural gas, coal, and from now on is removed) .

The feature of the biomass should be called carbon and neutral and reproducible resources. The property in which the carbon-dioxide concentration in the atmosphere is not affected with a "carbon neutral." That is, since it is the resources which make a living thing the origin, the most is a plant. In case a plant photosynthesizes by basking in sunlight in growth process, it absorbs the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When this plant is used as resources, the quantity of the carbon dioxide emitted is almost the same as the quantity absorbed by photosynthesis. That is, since the quantity to absorb and the quantity to emit are the same reasons, it is said that it does not become making the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increase. The thing of such a property is called a "carbon neutral." .

The kind of biomass Dry system A woody system Woods surplus material, thinning wood, and lumbering surplus material Plantation wood a eucalyptus, a willow Municipal waste wood Construction scrap wood, a pruning branch Agricultural residual substance Straw, chaff grass system Grass, a nepia glass (a kind of grass) Water system Aquatic plant Sea lettuce, Hotaaoi, and seaweed Plantation aquatic plant Giant kelp Livestock feces and urine A cow, a pig, chicken-droppings urine Sewer sludge Sewer sludge, human waste Food waste Kitchen dust, food-processing waste The other Sugar and starch A potato, corn, sugarcane Cellulose Used paper Vegetable oil rapeseed oil

Thus, "dry system", a "water system", and "others" are large to three, and biomass resources are classified.

Energy conversion technology of the biomass Conversion technology Object resources Generation energy Thermochemical conversion Direct combustion Dry system Heat Como Heat High temperature gasification Inflammable gas (hydrogen) High temperature rapid pyrolysis Liquefaction fuel Carbonization Charcoal Super-criticality methanol extraction Liquefaction fuel Super-criticality water gasification Water system Inflammable gas (hydrogen) Direct liquefaction Liquid fuel Formation of slurry fuel Slurry fuel Ester-izing In addition to this (vegetable oil) Biotechnology diesel Biochemistry conversion Methane fermentation Water system Inflammable gas (methane) Hydrogen fermentation Inflammable gas (hydrogen) Ethanol fermentation In addition to this (sugar and starch) Ethanol Acetone butanol fermentation Liquid fuel

Is the "biotechnology diesel" which ester-ized vegetable oil known most in this? If it says simply, a methanol will be added to used vegetable oil (tempura oil etc.), then a methyl ester-ized reaction will be caused.a result --methyl ester fuel (biotechnology diesel fuel) and a glycerol-- generating -- having . This biotechnology diesel makes Kyoto a model area, and is already put in practical use. This biotechnology diesel is put in practical use also for the "rape-blossoms project" which Oasa-cho in Hiroshima-ken is performing to others. The measure for biotechnology diesel fuel is spreading in other self-governing bodies many since 2006/10/1     copyright(C) biomass project research center,  Hiroshima Univ. All rights reserved Administration office  Asia Biomass Center, c/o Biomass Project Research Center, Hiroshima University 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8527 JAPAN 082-424-7561 Fax/082-422-7193 Yukihiko MATSUMURA Kumiko NAKAMOTO