Philip G. Rutberg, Vadim A. Kuznetsov, Victor E. Popov, Alexander N. Bratsev, Sergey D. Popov and Alexander V. Surov

Abstract The chapter is dedicated to a promising method of biomass treatment — plasma gasification. Increased temperatures and energy supply allows significantly in-crease the range of wastes and other carbonaceous materials which could be ef­ficiently processed. Fea-tures of plasma usage in updraft and downdraft bio-mass gasification are described. Several promising re-newable energy sources (wood, en­ergy crops, wastes of livestock, and poultry industry) are examined for the usage in downdraft plasma gasification. The correlation of key parameters of biomass plasma gasification was studied in thermodynamic equilibrium approach along with syn­gas usage for liquid fuel production. Institute for Electrophysics and Electric Power RAS experimental installation is described. Its primary component is a downdraft plasma gasifier for processing of biomass and wastes. Its technical characteristics and functionali-ty are described. A brief survey of existing pilot and in-dustrial projects is given. Methods of energy supply into plasma chemical reactor are described. The review of powerful plasma torches for industrial application is represented. Experi­mental procedures and test results on biomass gasification by air-plasma are presented as well as the comparison with the calculated data.

Keywords Plasma ■ Gasification ■ Syngas ■ Plasma torch ■ Gasifier ■ Energy balance ■ Efficiency ■ Biomass ■ Renewable energy ■ Alternative energy

12.1 Introduction

The importance of the decrease of anthropogenic impact on the environment rises dramatically nowadays. In particular, it is a problem of carbon dioxide emissions [1]. CO2 is the basic component of combustion products of widely used kinds of fuel; it possesses high radiative forcing and is one of the main (and the most dangerous) greenhouse gases [2]. In 2010, the global emission of carbon dioxide increases on

P. G. Rutberg (H) ■ V. A. Kuznetsov ■ V. E. Popov ■ A. N. Bratsev ■ S. D. Popov ■ A. V. Surov Institute for Electrophysics and Electric Power RAS (IEE RAS),

Dvortsovaya nab., 18, St.-Petersburg, 191186, Russia e-mail: rc@iperas. nw. ru

Z. Fang (ed.), Pretreatment Techniques for Biofuels and Biorefineries,

Green Energy and Technology,

DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-32735-3_12, © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 ~5.9 % and for the first time exceeds 9 Pg per year [3]. The increase in emission is mainly caused by economic growth of developing economics in which even during a global economic crisis the CO2 emission increased [3]. Economic growth and increase in the living standards of the population invariably lead to growth of energy consumption per capita. According to IEA [4], in 2009 about 80.9 % of mankind energy demands were provided by fossil fuel combustion, about 5.8 %—nuclear energy, about 2.3 % hydroenergetics, and about 10.2 %—energy of biofuels and waste, which in total is 509 EJ. The world’s reserve of fossil fuels is about 35,094 EJ (~23.6 %—oil, ~20.4 %—natural gas, ~56.0 %—coal) [5]. By estimations [6] world oil production will peak before 2020, coal before 2030, and natural gas around 2040. Unfortunately, the comprehension of not only the importance, but also the fact of finiteness of fossil fuels occurs extremely slowly among people defining directions of development both on regional and global level. The citation ideally illustrates the situation: “perpetual growth is often held as a pious belief and fundamental assumption for economists” [7]. The only possibility for humanity to prevent impending energy crisis is usage of renewable energy sources: biomass, solar energy, wind, tidal and wave power, hydroenergetics, and thermal power. Electricity generation from solar energy is very expensive that is why construction of large power plants is unlikely. The wind farms have low efficiency and their applicability is limited. Nowadays, the natural resources for development of hydroenergetics are almost exhausted. In spite of biosphere limits on bioresources generation governed by necessity to sustain the ecological balance and growth of mankind food demand the biomass is one of the most promising types of renewable energy sources. According to the forecasts [8] in 2050, the global potential of biomass energy will be about 1,135— 1,300 EJ (without the use of seaweed as biomass), while the world consumption will reach ~826 EJ (on average under different scenarios). Energy use of biomass does not increase CO2emission, as far as the whole carbon dioxide, formed after bioenergy use, is absorbed by green plants in the process of biomass formation. Other renewable sources hardly will be widely used; in particular, nuclear fusion energy can be practically used not until the end of the century. Nuclear power cost will rapidly increase due to safety issues. Thus, it is clear that if the cultivation requirements of bioresources are met, then the bio-energetic development is one of the most promising ways to form a sustainable and independent economics for both developed and developing countries.