Estimation of power generation potential of agricultural based biomass spiceis and coal-biomass mixed briquettes

Abstract

With the advancement in technology the power consumption is rising steadily. This necessitates that in addition to the existing source of power such as coal, water, petroleum etc. other sources of energy should be searched out and new and more efficient ways of producing energy should be devised. Power generation from biomass becomes attractive way for energy generation due to their high energy potential and less pollutants. Present work deals with the determination of proximate analysis of different components, such as wood, leaf and nascent branch and energy content of different components of Cajanus cajan (local name-arhar, pigeon pea) and Arachis hypogaea (local name-peanut, ground nut) shell and their power generation potential and land requirement for plantations. These biomass components separately mixed with coal sample in different-different ratio and also their proximate analysis has done and their energy values are determined to find out the best suitable mixture for power generation. Estimation has been made for power generation potential of these biomass species and coal-biomass mixed briquettes for a small thermal power plant on decentralized basis. As it is evident from result that both the biomass species has less ash content and high volatile matter when mixes with coal in the ratio of 80:20 and different component of pigeon pea has higher calorific value as compared to groundnut shell. Components of pigeon pea has higher calorific value with selected coal, due to that when it mixes with coal calorific value of mixture increase as the quantity of pigeon pea biomass increases in the mixture of coal-biomass briquette.