BioOil as alternative and renewable source of energy

Biooil Pyrolysis Pretty soon, the earth is expected to run short of its present sources of energy like petroleum, coal and charcoal. Though there may be shortage of energy, the need for energy will never go down; in fact, it’s escalating day by day.
This is the reason why researchers all over the world are putting on their thinking hats to find new and feasible sources of renewable energy.

Today one of the best forms of renewable and alternative energy is BioOil. This is basically a fuel that is produced through Dynamotive’s pyrolysis process of biomass. This is a process where the plant material, in other words, biomass like sawdust or bagasse obtained form sugar cane is exposed to a temperature of 400 -500 degrees Celsius in an oxygen free environment.

BioOil is a free flowing liquid fuel that is dark brown in color, and has a smoky odor that is reminiscent of the plant it is derived from. There is about 25% water in BioOil, which is not found in a separate phase. The reason there is water in BioOil is that it helps in lowering the viscosity of the fuel.

Though Orimulsion is a hydrocarbon-water mix, BioOil is not. In addition to this, BioOil has another feature. It is a fuel with a propensity of changing slowly with time. It is not possible to consider this to be an instability as it can take months for the change to take place.

BioOil is a fossil fuel substitute that can pump well, burn readily and ignite once it is atomized. It is possible to use BioOil for your fuel purposes as it has EcoLogo certification after having met stringent environmental criteria that matches other industrial fuels, as indicated in Environment Canada’s Environmental Choice Program.

With the EcoLogo, it means that BioOil manufacture process has been audited by a third party that is credible for its audition. Moreover, it is supported by empirical data found about combustion tests that are carried out by both the company and authorized third parties.

When handling BioOil, similar care has to be taken as with conventional fuels. You have to avoid any direct contact with skin or any inhalation of its vapors. Though BioOil is not as readily flammable as other conventional fuels, all pyrolysis fuels have to be kept away of any form of open flame or other heat sources, for better measure.

BioOil has great potential to be used as a fossil fuel replacement where it has customers in the local, regional and national electrical utilities that operates either with partial or complete fuel substitution. The use of BioOil in industrial applications are numerous; however its main applications include the primary industry like in kilns and boilers in pulp and paper, metallurgy, to process heat in sawmill boilers, oil and gas industries and in secondary industries like greenhouse, stationary engines and district heating.

Dynamotive is working at developing BioOil fuels for generation of heat and power in collaboration with manufacturers of gas turbines and stationary diesel engines.
The first commercial BioOil plant is found in West Lorne, Ontario. BioOil is suitable for use in gas turbines, boilers, and kilns, and can be used for heat and power applications.

Photo: Dynamotive’s BioOil Plant in West Lorne, Ontario. Dynamotive Copyright

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