2023
Bioenergy and Biofuels
Name: Bioenergy and Biofuels
Code: EME10990L
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area:
Electrotechnical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Regime de Frequência: Presencial
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
The main objective of this course is to give the students the theoretical and practical knowledge on solid, liquid and gaseous biomass conversion. The student should be able to analyse and understand specific legislation, fiscal implications and environmental issues related to biomass conversion. The students should do several works throughout the semester that will develop their project capabilities and writing, presentation and arguing skills. The essays should be elaborated and written accordingly to universally accepted and used rules and with the resource of computer software. In this course, the study of scientific papers is promoted, allowing the students to develop the scientific literacy.
Contents
1. Status of the Portuguese, European and World bioenergy: Statistics. Strategies.
2. Biomass as a fuel: Carbon cycle. Concept of bioenergy. Energy potential of biomass (virgin and residues). Conversion processes.
3. Handling and treatment of farming and agri-industry effluents: Legislation. Effluents types. Characterisation and production quantities. Handling systems. Storage facilities. Valorisation and treatment systems (compost, separation, etc.).
4. Physical processes for biomass conversion: dehydration and drying. Size reduction. Densification. Separation.
5. Biofuel production: bioethanol, biomethanol, biodiesel and biogas production.
6. Thermal energy production from biomass: combustion, gasification and pyrolysis.
7. Electricity production from biomass: Rankine, Brayton, Otto, Diesel and dual cycles. Combined cycle. Cogeneration.
8. Legislation for the biomass sector.
2. Biomass as a fuel: Carbon cycle. Concept of bioenergy. Energy potential of biomass (virgin and residues). Conversion processes.
3. Handling and treatment of farming and agri-industry effluents: Legislation. Effluents types. Characterisation and production quantities. Handling systems. Storage facilities. Valorisation and treatment systems (compost, separation, etc.).
4. Physical processes for biomass conversion: dehydration and drying. Size reduction. Densification. Separation.
5. Biofuel production: bioethanol, biomethanol, biodiesel and biogas production.
6. Thermal energy production from biomass: combustion, gasification and pyrolysis.
7. Electricity production from biomass: Rankine, Brayton, Otto, Diesel and dual cycles. Combined cycle. Cogeneration.
8. Legislation for the biomass sector.
Teaching Methods
The teaching/learning is based on theoretical-practical classes where the topics covered in the course will be explained and discussed and also where applied problems are solved. The learning process should be active and should stimulate students to research and learn more about the topics discussed in the classroom. The individual work of students is encouraged and supported by the recommended bibliography (which includes scientific papers), as well as by information available on several internet sites.
Each student should produce three reports, which correspond to different assignments that develop different competences. Additionally, he/she will present to the teacher and colleagues a specific topic, being evaluated by his/her performance in the discussions that result from all students presentations. At the end of the semester, the students ate subjected to a written exam.
Each student should produce three reports, which correspond to different assignments that develop different competences. Additionally, he/she will present to the teacher and colleagues a specific topic, being evaluated by his/her performance in the discussions that result from all students presentations. At the end of the semester, the students ate subjected to a written exam.
Teaching Staff
