Technological advancements in biohydrogen production and bagasse gasification process in the sugarcane industry with regard to Brazilian conditions

• Autor(a) principal: Silveira, Jose Luz [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: Tuna, Celso Eduardo [UNESP], Pedroso, Daniel Travieso [UNESP], Da Silva, Marcio Evaristo [UNESP], Machin, Einara Blanco [UNESP], Braga, Lúcia Bollini [UNESP], Martinelli, Valdisley José [UNESP]
• Tipo de documento: Capítulo de livro
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05020-1_18; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/227978

Global warming is caused mainly by the excessive use of fossil fuels (coal, oil, diesel, gasoline, etc.) that emit millions of tons of pollutants into the environment. Besides, the fact that these fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources promotes the research in cleaner energy sources. In this chapter are presented two different technologies that could be introduced in the sugarcane industry to generate electricity and other kinds of clean fuel (producer gas and hydrogen); the case of hydrogen production by ethanol steam reforming and biomass gasification, which appear like promising technologies for energy generation in the sugarcane industry. Currently, most hydrogen is obtained from natural gas through a process known as reforming. Other technologic alternatives that may improve the supply of energy to the sugarcane industry is the use of biomass gasifiers in association with cogeneration system utilizing combined cycles to produce simultaneously electricity and heat, a technology known as Biomass Integrated Gasification/Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (BIG/GTCC). Cogeneration, has been accepted by different industries and has gained great application in the sugarcane industry, where the thermic and electric demands are favorable to use this type of energy system. The main fuel used in the process is sugarcane bagasse which is a by-product of sugar and ethanol production processes; the obtained energy is used in the form of mechanical power, electric power, and saturated steam in the processes. The surplus electricity can be sold. Technical, economical, and ecological analyses were performed for introduction of hydrogen production and BIG/GTCC in the sugarcane industry, using bagasse as fuel, in order to identify the better scenarios for electricity and heat generation. The introduction of these technologies will engender innovations in the sugarcane industry and will promote the sector development and as main results will increase electricity production with an economic and ecologic sustainable approach.