Ash transformation chemistry during energy conversion of biomass

There is relatively extensive knowledge available concerning ash transformation reactions during energy conversion of woody biomass. Traditionally, these assortments have constituted the main resources for heating in Sweden. In recent decades the utilization of these energy carriers has increased, from a low technology residential small scale level to industrial scale (e.g. CHP plants). Along this evolution ash-chemical related phenomena for woody biomass has been observed and studied. So, presently the understanding for these are, if not complete, fairly good. Briefly, from a chemical point of view the ash from woody biomass could be characterized as a silicate dominated systems with varying content of basic oxides and with relatively high degree of volatilization of alkali sulfates and chlorides. Thus, the main ash transformation mechanisms in these systems have been outlined. Here, an attempt to give a general description of the ash transformation reactions of biomass fuels is presented, with the intention to provide guidance in the understanding of ash matter behavior in the utilization of any biomass fuel, primarily from knowledge of the concentrations of ash forming elements but also by considering the physical condition in the specific combustion appliance and the physical characteristic of the biomass fuel. Furthermore, since the demand for CO2-neutral energy resources has increased the last years and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future, other biomasses as for instance agricultural crops has become highly interesting. Globally, the availability of these shows large variation. In Sweden, for instance, which is a relatively spare populated country with large forests, these bio-masses will play a secondary role, although not insignificant. In other parts of the world, more densely populated and with a large agricultural sector, such bio-masses may constitute the main energy bio-mass resource in the future. However, the content of ash forming matter in agricultural bio-mass is rather different in comparison to woody biomass. Firstly, the content is much higher; from being about 0.3 – 0.5% (wt) in stem wood, it can amount to between 2 and 10 %(wt) in agricultural biomass. In addition, the composition of the ash forming matter is different. Shortly, the main difference is due to a much higher content of phosphorus (occasionally also silicon) which has major consequences on the ash-transformation reactions. In many crops, the concentration of phosphorus and silicon is equivalent, which (depending on the concentration levels of basic oxides) may result in a phosphate dominated ash. The properties of this ash are in several aspects different from the silicate dominated woody biomass ash and will consequently behave differently in various types of energy conversion systems. The knowledge about phosphate dominated ash systems has so far been scarce. We have been working with these systems, both with basic and applied research, for about a decade know. Some general experiences and conclusions as well as some specific examples of our research will be presented