Connect with us

Featured

Research: Wealth Out of Waste (WOW): Biomass and Waste Materials

Published

on

By Aminu Owonikoko

The global warming issue (greenhouse effect) in Nigeria and other parts of Africa and the rest of the world can be mitigated by turning our biomass and other waste materials into wealth. Intensive research has shown that biomass and waste materials are “resources” not “waste” anymore. They are regenerative!

Bioenergy (Biofuels/bioethanol/biodiesel) can be generated from biomass and waste materials. There is a global rush to biomass and waste materials as feedstocks (raw materials) for biofuels production because they are very cheap and readily available. Biomass is all plant and animal matters that has not been fossilised. They are lignocellulosic in nature. That is, they contain lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose. Examples of biomass and waste materials are: sawdust, woodchips, corn stover, municipal solids wastes (MSW), industrial and commercial wastes, animal wastes (like cow dung and chicken/poultry litter), sugar cane, corn, shredded paper, used cooking oil, jatropha, broomcorn, sorghum, straw, wood shavings, algae, cassava, bagasse, e.t.c.

All these resources can be employed to power our vehicles on the road, generate electricity and gas, and produce other biochemicals like fertilizers with readily available and proven technologies. These resources are in abundance in Nigeria and other parts of Africa but they are causing environmental ado to the country (continent) because they are left to be rotten, thus, generating biogas (methane and carbon dioxide) which are dangerous to the environment but they can be used for other useful purposes with readily available and proven technologies.

Our total dependency on fossil fuels (petroleum: oil and gas) is also causing economic problems to the nation. Research has shown that fossil fuels will dry (run) out one day. The need to generate energy from renewable/sustainable sources is very pertinent to our dear country and continent. Other countries like United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, India, Brazil, Switzerland and other European countries have imbibed in this by generating their energy from sustainable/renewable sources.

The process (conversion) technologies that can add value to our biomass and waste materials are not exorbitant. They are gasification, pyrolysis, trans-esterification, combustion, anaerobic digestion, fermentation and hydrolysis.

Pyrolysis is the process of heating biomass (mostly carbon-based wastes) at a high temperature in an environment with no oxygen. The restriction of air available during the chemical conversion process is to a greater degree than for gasification. Pyrolysis is the starting process for both combustion and gasification if sufficient oxygen or other oxidizing agents are present. In this process, biomass is broken down to achieve the following products: char (which can be activated to produce activated carbon), combustible gas, and liquid oil.

Gasification process is employed to convert a heterogeneous biomass feedstock to a consistent intermediate product consensually called producer gas. Biomass gasification yields a combustible gas that can be employed to generate heat, liquid fuels and electricity. Carbon monoxide, methane and hydrogen are the main combustible components of producer gas. In addition to these gases, gasification produces char, carbon dioxide, water vapour, and ash. The producer gas also contains nitrogen and small amount of oxygen (1-2%).

Transesterification: this is a chemical process that is employed to produce biodiesel (an ester) made from oils (e.g. used cooking oil) or fats. In this process, a catalyst causes the exchange of the alkoxyl group of an ester by another alcohol.

Anaerobic digestion: is the bacterial decomposition of the volatile solids to biogas (methane and carbon dioxide). Food processing, municipal solid and animal wastes can be used as feedstocks (raw materials) for anaerobic digesters.

Combustion is the complete oxidation of carbon to carbon dioxide with production of heat. The heat must be used immediately. In order to generate steam for electricity from biomass, biomass/waste materials can be combusted directly or it can be converted into gas to power a turbine. Combustion could be done on domestic heating, district heating, combined heat and power (CHP) and large-scale combustion.

Hydrolysis involves extracting simple carbohydrates from complex carbohydrates found in cellulose and hemicellulose. Extracting the carbohydrates may involve steam explosion of the cell wall, or dissolving the organic constituents with acids, enzymes, or organic solvents. Sugars resulting from hydrolysis can then be converted into ethanol through fermentation.

Fermentation: production of bioethanol through fermentation can be achieved in at least 3 ways:

(1) Directly using naturally available sugars, such as broomcorn, sugarcane, sorghum

(2) Indirectly using carbohydrate or starch sources, such as cassava

(3) In combination with acid hydrolysis or enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose sources such as wood residues (like woodchips, saw dust and wood shavings) which produce sugars that can be fermented into biofuels (bioethanol).

All the succinct aforementioned conversion technologies can be employed in Nigeria and other parts of developing countries in Africa to add value to our biomass and waste without unnecessary costs, thus, it will mitigate the global warming issues and create more jobs to the nation and the continent. Further information is summarised schematically in the figure 1 below particularly for sugarcane which is tolerant and adaptable to other biomass materials with little retrofit (i.e. modification).

Published in 2019

Aminu Owonikoko MPhil (UK), MSc (UK), B.Tech (Nigeria) Email: owonikokoak@yahoo.com Mobile number: +1 785 914 8240

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured

Ex-Oyo Governor, Victor Olunloyo, Dies at 90

Published

on

By

A former governor of Oyo State, Dr. Victor Olunloyo, is dead.

According to a statement by his family on Sunday, he died a few days before his 90th birthday.

The statement titled ‘Victor Olunloyo goes home’ was signed by Oladapo Ogunwusi on behalf of the family.

It read, “With a heavy heart but gratitude to the Almighty, we announce the passing into glory of Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State, mathematician and engineer and renowned technocrat, a few days before his 90th birthday.

“The Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife, Dr. Olunloyo was first Rector, Ibadan polytechnic and first Rector, Kwara State Polytechnic among other notable appointments.

“His long record of service to the nation and humanity is a source of pride to his family and associates even as we come to grip with this devastating event.

“The Olunloyo family will appreciate the understanding of the press and the public as they commence efforts to give him a befitting burial.

“Even from everlasting to everlasting, He is God.”

About a year ago in April 2024, the rumour of the death of the elder statesman was reported by some news platforms.

But speaking with The PUNCH correspondent who visited his Molete residence in Ibadan, the state capital, he debunked the rumour, saying he was hale and hearty.

“I’m still here, not yet gone,” he declared then.

He also expressed worry over the rumour and asked who would live forever, stressing, “Those breaking death news and the person presumed dead will all die one day.

“I’ve been lucky. My father died at 42, while my mother died at 102. I’m 89. I’ve crossed the expected life age.”

The elder statesman also illustrated how the rumour of his death hit several news platforms on June 7, 2022.

He noted that the rumour mongers claimed that he died at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.

A few days later, the family issued a statement, declaring that he was not dead but suffering from old age ailment and asked Nigerians to pray for him to survive the health complications.

Continue Reading

Featured

Umahi Apologises to Tinubu, Lagosians, Denies Knowledge of Bridge Closure

Published

on

By

The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi on Thursday, said the closure of Independence Bridge in Lagos for urgent rehabilitation of the collapsed retaining wall was made without his knowledge or authorization.

Umahi said this while apologising to Lagos residents and President Bola Tinubu for the disruption caused by the sudden closure of the bridge on Wednesday.

Umahi who spoke when he toured the bridge in Lagos said: ” Unfortunately, when the bridge was to be closed, I was not informed. It is very unfortunate because for a bridge to be closed, especially in Lagos, as has been the tradition, I should be informed as the minister.

“We should also have studied the implication of it even in an emergency situation. We would have deployed emergency evaluation of the implication of closing the bridge.”

Umahi warned that controllers of works and engineers would face disciplinary action if such an incident would happen again.

“I use the opportunity to warn all controllers and engineers all over the country. Never you close a road or close any bridge without running through the permanent secretary, who will seek for permission from the honourable minister of works,” he said.

The minister acknowledged the efforts of Lagos State Government in managing traffic flow during the closure.

He also took responsibility for the error, saying: “I take responsibility for it, even though I did not order it, but every action by any staff of the ministry of works, I take responsibility for it.”

Umahi said that the closure, which caused significant traffic congestion, was avoidable.

He said: “If we were to do this properly, there would have been a different kind of method deployed and it wouldn’t have necessitated the total closure.”

According to him, even if closure was necessary, it would have been done in a way that it would take three days: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and necessary remedial work would have been put in place.

“What we are doing now is to restore the bridge temporarily within the next three days. By Sunday, this place will be totally open.”

He added that a permanent solution would be implemented after a two-week assessment.

“Then, after two weeks, we will look at the settlements, and then we will take out three days to put the permanent structure. That is what we are going to do,” he said.

The minister emphasised the competence of the contractor handling the project, Build Well.

“Build Well is a reputable company, and they have been restoring a lot of failures on our bridges in Lagos, some of them 53 years old.

“Some bridges’ spans have been lifted, especially Eko Bridge, Marina Bridge, and even the Lagos-Ibadan Bridge. They are also intervening in all of them,” he added.

The minister also said that the design of the bridge would be varied to address the emergency situation.

He said: ” The design will be varied according to the emergency situation we have on ground, and the contractor is going to cooperate with us.”

He pledged to personally oversee the restoration efforts, saying, “I am not going until the bridge is fully restored by Sunday, we will work day and night to restore it, and then we will evaluate it.”

The bridge was initially closed on April 1 for essential maintenance and rehabilitation works, with the government planning to complete the repairs by May.

NAN

Continue Reading

Featured

Communal Clashes: Adeleke Threatens Royal Fathers with Dethronement

Published

on

By

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has threatened stern state action against traditional rulers of Ifon, Erin Osun and Ilobu communities if they fail to sustain current peace, and de-escalate the crisis in their communities.

The Governor issued the warning against the backdrop of online reports that some faceless groups across the conflict areas are planning another round of attacks.

“In the midst of sallah celebrations, I got reports of some people planning another round of conflict around Ifon, Ilobu and Erin Osun towns. The security agencies have tightened surveillance to ensure no attacks take place.

“The security agencies are also speeding up the interrogation of key chieftains and actors in the conflict. I will remind top leaders of the towns that the peace undertaking they are signing are not for joke. They will be held accountable. There will be accountability before the law.

“The curfew we relaxed was on humanitarian grounds. As a compassionate government, we know many innocent people are suffering because of the evil agenda of a few elements across the conflict areas. Any attempt to exploit the adjustment of the curfew for renewed violence will be met with full re-imposition of the 24-hour curfew.

“Additionally, I will remove from office, any traditional ruler where violence recurs. This card is on the table. Royal fathers of each town must call their subjects to order. I will wield the big stick. Enough is enough”, the Governor was quoted as saying in the statement.

Continue Reading

Trending

Close