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The increased gasification potential of bulk density agricultural residues such as groundnut shell (GS) and rice husk (RH) could aid in the effective implementation of bioenergy for a wider range of applications. Mixing high-carbon biomass with such feedstocks is an appealing option for improving producer gas (PG) quality. Though spent tea waste (STW) has a high-carbon content due to its small particle size and high-moisture levels, it is not directly used in gasifiers for PG generation. However, it could be a promising secondary biomass in the gasification of GS and RH. To establish this strategy, an appropriate mixing method and a study on the gasification potential of the mixture as feedstock for downdraft gasifiers is essential. In this study, STW was mixed with GS and RH at various mixing ratios and tested in a downdraft gasifier. The experimental results showed that, up to a 40% weight ratio of STW with the primary biomasses, the gasifier could operate continuously without any incomplete gasification. The calorific value, cold gas efficiency and hot gas efficiency improvements for GS/STW blends at the best equivalence ratio (ER) were 19.3%, 19.61% and 18.04%, respectively, whereas for the RH/STW blend, the improvements were 16.2%, 14.5% and 13.81%. The best performance of GS/STW and RH/STW blends was found for ERs of 0.3 and 0.25, respectively, which are different from the optimum ERs for the gasification of primary feedstocks alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct firing of biomass in conventional clay brick manufacturing process aggravates deforestation, climatic change, poor economic benefits to rural industries, and health issues to the public. To overcome such drawbacks, adaptation of eco-friendly energy sources, implementation of advanced technologies in energy conversion systems and systematic studies on economic benefits are mainly focused in recent times. The utilization of biomasses through various gasification technologies can improve the energy efficiency and economic advantages of brick production. To successfully introduce renewable energy systems and new technologies in rural areas, a number of research studies have experimented and also succeeded in predicting the technical feasibility and cost benefits. Likewise, this paper reports the techno-economic analysis of producer gas (PG) fired brick kilns using pertinent parameters of evaluation involved in the manufacturing of bricks. In this study, the common biomasses available in the region were effectively used to produce PG. Besides finding the technical aspects of bricks produced through this method, the parameters needed for economic study were found from a prototype experimental study. The economic parameters to use agriculture and forestry biomasses such as Coconut Shell (CS), Rice Husk (RH), Rubber Wood (RW) and Rubber seed kernel shell (RSKS) in conventional industries for a capacity of twenty to one hundred thousand bricks per batch were predicted. The studies revealed that the quality of bricks produced from the proposed method could meet ASTM standards. The savings in the running cost of the proposed system led to 4–8 years payback period. The maximum internal rate of return was found from the system which had RSKS as feedstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ammonia is a carbon-free renewable fuel for the future. • Present scenario of ammonia production across various countries was highlighted. • Ammonia production from algal biosystems via various methods was discussed. • Advancement in Biochemical and thermochemical methods was reviewed. • Challenges and scope in renewable NH 3 production from microalgae was presented. Recent advancements in renewable energy technologies have increased the demand for ammonia production from a variety of biomasses due to biomass's abundant availability. Many types of biomass are used to generate biofuels by thermochemical and biochemical methods. These include residues from farming and forests, municipal solid waste, energy crops, food processing residues, industrial organic effluents, and algae. Microalgae, among the biomasses, are a valuable resource for ammonia and hydrogen production because they have a higher biomass production rate than others. It is possible to use steam gasification, pyrolysis, catalytic pyrolysis, and steam catalytic gasification to move nitrogen from algal biomass to NH 3. However, intensive investigation is required in new directions to develop a mature and cost-effective technology. This article closely examines the current production of ammonia and the feasibility of utilizing algal biomass for the production of hydrogen and ammonia through various biochemical and thermochemical routes. The study comprehensively addressed the characteristics of ammonia and the current status of its production across multiple countries. The subsequent section discusses the cultivation systems and life cycle assessment of algal biomass production for fuels. Furthermore, the ammonia/hydrogen production methods utilizing algal biomass are also listed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]