Laminar Burning Velocity of Biomass-Derived Fuels and Its Significance in Combustion Devices

Abstract

Biomass is considered to be an alternative and renewable energy resource for the sustainable development in future. The most conventional way of deriving energy from biomass is through direct combustion of the fuel. However, the combustion devices directly burning biomass are highly inefficient and result in emission of significant pollutants. Generation of secondary fuels, called biofuels, from biomass and their utilization in various applications can circumvent these limitations. The second generation biofuels can be derived either in liquid or gaseous forms and can be used in devices like engines and burners. When the fuel is burned with oxidizer as a premixed flame, e.g. in a spark ignition engine or on a premixed burner, the laminar burning velocity plays a major role in the propagation or the stabilization of the flame. The structure of the fuel and its reaction kinetics influence the laminar burning velocity. Laminar burning velocity also depends on the equivalence ratio, pressure and temperature of the reactant mixture. In recent times, research is being conducted on laminar burning velocity of biomass-derived fuels or their blends with petro-fuels and oxidizer mixture. Information regarding this fundamental combustion characteristic is essential in designing combustion devices burning biofuels or for retrofitting fossil-fuel based devices using biofuels. The present chapter aims towards reviewing the literature of laminar burning velocity of biomass derived fuels and also explaining the significance of laminar burning velocity in some important combustion applications.