1. Introduction

The increasing demand of energy tied with the need to minimize the greenhouse gas emission and the menace of reducing oil reserves has brought into focus on the potential use of biomass as a renewable energy source [1, 2]. Most of the developed countries have already comprised this ideal concept of biomass use and application and their inexorable potential for development [3, 4].

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and eproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Biomass energy is widely used in the third world principally in rural regions where it is frequently the main energy source for domestic purpose [5]. Most developing countries are still depending largely on availability of natural resources including coal, mineral mining etc. There are many alternative renewable energy sources which can be used in place of fossil and conventional fuels. Renewable energy resources are also often called alternative sources of energy. Renewable energy resources that use domestic resources have the potential to provide energy services with zero or almost zero emissions of both air pollutants and greenhouse gases [6].

at varying temperature (350, 550, 750 and 950C) for 1 hour, after attaining these temperatures

Biochar Derived from Agricultural Waste Biomass Act as a Clean and Alternative Energy Source of Fossil Fuel…

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Proximate analysis was performed on agricultural waste biomass samples for the determination of ash, moisture, volatile matter and fixed carbon contents following the (ASTM E871-82, E1755-01, and E872-82) [9]. The fixed carbon (FC) content was calculated by difference.

ASTM D1762–84 standard method was followed for proximate analysis [15] for derived biochar in order to determine ash, moisture, volatile matter and fixed carbon contents presents

ASTM E777, 778 and 775 standard test method was followed for ultimate analysis [16] using

The heating values of the samples were determined by bomb calorimeter (TESTMASTER T-451). A bomb calorimeter was used according to the (ASTM D4809-00) standard test method [17].

For pH determination, biochar slurry was prepared in (1.20, w/v) ratio of biochar and water

ASTM E1131-03 standard method was followed for TGA/DTG by using a computerized

FT-IR spectroscopy was analyzed by a Perkin Elmer Spectra 2, USA, in which the pellet was prepared by mixing 1 mg of dried biochar with 200 mg of pre-dried and pulverized

The proximate and ultimate analysis of the CC and GNS are shown in Table 1. From table, it is observed that the both the agricultural biomass have relatively less ash (0.94 and 1.79%, respectively); higher content of VM (80.73 and 79.54%, respectively) with FC (14.97 and

The contents of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen in all the feedstocks are (C, 47.78 and 45.50%; O, 46.14 and 48.45%; H, 5.87 and 5.44%, respectively). Further the lower content of hetero elements (N, 0.19 and 0.46% and S, 0.11 and 0.15%, respectively) in CC and GNS are advantageous for environmental disquiets. Also agricultural biomass at thermo-chemical treatment releases less toxic gases (such as, SOx and NOx gases) comparable with fossil fuels. Than

which we can say biomass are environment friendly and clean energy source.

[12]. PCS Testr™ 35 pH meter was used for pH determination.

4.1. Proximate and ultimate analysis of CC and GNS samples

14.13%, respectively), and GCV (14.74 and 14.03 MJ/kg).

NETZSCH SAT 449F3 thermogravimetry analyzer.

spectroscopic-grade KBr (potassium bromide).

4. Results and discussions

on heating @ 5–15C/min.

3. Characterization

in the biochar.

(Vario EL III) CHNS analyzer.

Biomass can be converted into liquid, solid and gaseous fuels with the help of some physical, chemical and biological conversion processes [7, 8]. The conversion of biomass materials has a precise objective to transform a carbonaceous solid material [9]. The uses of agricultural byproducts (like, coconut coir, rice husk, sugarcane bagasse, ground nut shell etc) are as fuel for cooking, cattle-feed and raw materials for paper and pulp industries. However, a large amount of this is wasted and creates disposal problem.

Pyrolysis is a new and green technology where these biomass wastes are converted into biochars [10]. Pyrolysis is a multi-product process which has shown the potential of recovering hydrocarbon liquid from carbonaceous solid waste, besides the char and the gas products. These carbonaceous solid wastes are renewable energy sources and therefore, the potential of converting them into useful energy [11].

Biochar is a value added product, which can be used for many purposes. It is highly carbonaceous and hence contains high energy content, comparable to high rank coals [12]. In addition, the heterogeneous reaction of solid carbon with oxygen is slower than homogeneous oxidation, which is relatively safe and easy to control. Biochar also has a large microscopic surface area due to the microspores developed during pyrolysis, and can be used for the filtration and adsorption of pollutants [12].

This study investigates the properties of biochar by slow pyrolysis [13] for coconut coir (CC) and ground nut shell (GNS) at different temperature at 350, 550, 750 and 950C. Detailed properties of biochar from the samples were compared for the mass yield, elemental composition, pH, ash content and its functional group. Based on the results, the utilization of the biomass residues for biochar production was discussed.
