This book considers the pollutants formed by the combustion of solid biomass fuels. The availability and potential use of solid biofuels is first discussed because this is the key to the development of biomass as a source of energy. This is followed by details of the methods used for characterisation of biomass and their classification. The various steps in the combustion mechanisms are given together with a compilation of the kinetic data. The chemical mechanisms for the formation of the pollutants: NOx, smoke and unburned hydrocarbons, SOx, Cl compounds, and particulate metal aerosols are given in detail. Combustion kinetics required for the application for design purposes are given. Examples are given of emission levels of a range different types of combustion equipment. Data is given of NOx, particulates and other pollutant arising from combustion of different fuels in fixed bed combustion, fluidized bed combustion and pulverised biomass combustion and co-firing. Modeling methods including computational fluid dynamics for the various pollutants are outlined. The consequential issues arising from the wide scale use of biomass and future trends are then discussed. In particular the role of carbon capture and storage in large biomass combustion plants is considered as well as the opportunity of reducing the concentration of atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide.

Almost half of the world population rely on solid (biomass fuel and coal) for cooking, heating and lightning purpose. The resultant exposure to fine particulate matter from household air pollution is the seventh-largest risk factor for global burden of disease causing between 2.6 and 3.8 million premature deaths per year. The health effect ranges from cardiovascular, respiratory, neurocognitive and reproductive health effect. The most important are cardiovascular and respiratory health effects; others are the risk of burns and cataract in the eyes. Biomass fuel is any living or recently living plant and animal-based material that is burned by humans as fuels, for example, wood, dried animal dung, charcoal, grass and other agricultural residues. Biomass fuels are at the low end of the energy ladder in terms of combustion efficiency and cleanliness. Incomplete combustion of biomass contributes majorly to household air pollution and ambient air pollution. A large number of health-damaging air pollutants are produced during the incomplete combustion of biomass. These include respirable particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, formaldehyde, benzene, 1, 3 butadiene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and many other toxic organic compounds. In this article, health effects of biomass fuel use will be described in details highlighting the most affected systems and organs of the body.

Humanity is facing a steadily diminishing supply of fossil fuels, causing researchers, policy makers, and the population as a whole to turn increasingly to alternative and especially renewable sources of energy to make up this deficit. Gathering over 80 peer-reviewed entries from the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technologies, Renewable Energy Systems provides an authoritative introduction to a wide variety of renewable energy sources. State-of-the-art coverage includes geothermal power stations, ocean energy, renewable energy from biomass, waste to energy, and wind power. This comprehensive, two-volume work provides an excellent introduction for those entering these fields, as well as new insights for advanced researchers, industry experts, and decision makers.

Transportation, Energy Use and Environmental Impacts shows researchers, students and professionals the important connection between transportation planning, energy use and emissions. The book examines the major transportation activities, components, systems and subsystems by mode. It closely explores the resulting environmental impacts from transport planning, construction and the decommissioning of transportation systems. It discusses transportation planning procedures from an energy use standpoint, offering guidelines to make transportation more energy consumption efficient. Other sections cover propulsion and energy use systems, focusing on road transportation, railway, waterway, pipeline, air, air pollutants, greenhouse gas emissions, and more. Shows the relationship between road, rail, maritime, air and pipeline transportation activities with fuel use and pollution, greenhouse gases and waste Provides a comprehensive approach, covering transportation system planning, design and infrastructure construction Synthesizes the needed information and data, explaining how to improve transportation system performance Includes learning aids, such as cases from around the globe, a glossary, extensive bibliography, chapter objectives, summaries and exercises

Over the past few decades, exciting developments have taken place in the field of combustion technology. The present edited volume intends to cover recent developments and provide a broad perspective of the key challenges that characterize the field. The target audience for this book includes engineers involved in combustion system design, operational planning and maintenance. Manufacturers and combustion technology researchers will also benefit from the timely and accurate information provided in this work. The volume is organized into five main sections comprising 15 chapters overall: - Coal and Biofuel Combustion - Waste Combustion - Combustion and Biofuels in Reciprocating Engines - Chemical Looping and Catalysis - Fundamental and Emerging Topics in Combustion Technology