Biomass

Biomass terms

1. acetic acid An acid with the structure of C2H4O2. Acetyl groups are bound through an ester linkage to hemicellulose chains, especially xylans, in wood and other…
2. ACID A solution that has an excess of hydrogen ions (H+).
3. acid detergent fiber (ADF) (ADF) Organic matter that is not solubilized after one hour of refluxing in an acid detergent of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in 1N sulfuric acid.
4. Acid hydrolysis A chemical process in which acid is used to convert cellulose or starch to sugar.
5. acid insoluble lignin Lignin is mostly insoluble in mineral acids, and therefore can be analyzed gravimetrically after hydrolyzing the cellulose and hemicellulose fractions of…
6. acid soluble lignin A small fraction of the lignin in a biomass sample is solubilized during the hydrolysis process of the acid insoluble lignin method.
7. Adsorption The adhesion, in an extremely thin layer, of molecules (as in gases, solutions, or liquids) to the surface of solid bodies or liquids with which they are…
8. Aerobic In biochemistry, reactions that need oxygen to happen or happen when oxygen is present.
9. aerobic fermentation Fermentation processes that require the presence of oxygen.
10. agricultural residue Agricultural crop residues are the plant parts, primarily stalks and leaves, not removed from the fields with the primary food or fiber product.
11. alcohol (AL-kuh-hol) A chemical substance found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is also found in some medicines, mouthwashes, essential oils (scented liquid…
12. aldehyde (AL-deh-hide) A type of chemical substance made from alcohol. Aldehydes are found in essential oils (scented liquid taken from plants).
13. aldoses Occur when the carbonyl group of a monosaccharide is an aldehyde. (Source: Voet, D.; Voet, J. G. Biochemistry. New York: John Wiley, 1990.)
14. Algae Simple plant organism (typically a single cell) commonly found in water.
15. Alkali A soluble mineral salt.
16. alkali lignin Lignin obtained by acidification of an alkaline extract of wood.
17. alkaline hydrolysis The use of solutions of sodium hydroxide (or other alkali) in the treatment of cellulosic material (wood) to break down cellulose to simple sugars.
18. amylase (AM-il-aze) An enzyme that helps the body digest starches.
19. Anaerobic An environment or condition in which molecular oxygen is not available for chemical, physical or biological processes.
20. anaerobic digestion Digestion of materials in the absence of oxygen. See: anaerobic respiration.
21. Anhydrous A compound that does not contain water. For example, fuel ethanol is referred to as "anhydrous ethanol" because most of the water has been removed.
22. annual For FDM purposes, you are an annual filer if last year you filed an OGE Form 450 (or an OGE Form 450-A).
23. aquatic plants The aquatic biomass resources, such as algae, giant kelp, other seaweed, and water hyacinth.
24. arabinan The polymer of arabinose with a repeating unit of C5H804. Can be hydrolyzed to arabinose. (Source: Voet, D.; Voet, J. G. Biochemistry.
25. arabinose A five-carbon sugar - C5H1005. A product of hydrolysis of arabinan found in the hemicellulose fraction of biomass.
26. aromatic (A-ruh-MA-tik) Having an odor, which often is pleasant or spicy.
27. Ash The non-combustible residue of a combusted substance composed primarily of alkali and metal oxides.
28. Attainment area A geographic region where the concentration of a specific air pollutant does not exceed federal standards.
29. Auger A rotating, screw-type device that moves material through a cylinder. In alcohol production, it is used to transfer grains from storage to the grinding…
30. B20 A mixture of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel based on volume.
31. Bacteria (bak-TEER-ee-uh) A large group of single-cell microorganisms. Some cause infections and disease in animals and humans.
32. Bagasse The fibrous material remaining after the extraction of juice from sugarcane; often burned by sugar mills as a source of energy.
33. bark The outer protective layer of a tree including the inner bark and the outer bark.
34. barrel (of oil) A liquid measure equal to 42 U.S. gallons, or typically about 306 lb of oil. One barrel equals 5.6 ft3; for crude oil, one barrel contains about 5.
35. base One of the components of nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleic acids . Four different bases are found in naturally occurring DNA - the purines A (adenine )…
36. batch distillation A process in which the liquid feed is placed in a single container and the entire volume is heated.
37. batch fermentation See: batch culture.
38. Batch Process A process for carrying out a reaction in which the reactants are fed in discrete and successive charges.
39. beer A fermented broth that consists of water, ethanol, and small amounts of ether and assorted alcohols.
40. benzene A chemical that is used widely by the chemical industry, and is also found in tobacco smoke, vehicle emissions, and gasoline fumes.
41. bioconversion Conversion of one chemical into another by living organisms, as opposed to their conversion by isolated enzymes or fixed cells, or by chemical processes.
42. Biodiesel Biodiesel is diesel fuel combined with a certain percentage of vegetable oil. B5 refers to a blend of diesel with 5% vegetable oil.
43. Bioenergy The conversion of the complex carbohydrates in organic material into energy.
44. Biofuels Fuels made from biomass. Biofuels include ethanol, biodiesel and methanol.
45. Biogas A mixture of methane and carbon dioxide resulting from the anaerobic decomposition of waste such as domestic, industrial and agricultural sewage.
46. Biomass The aggregate amount of living matter or a specific species within a specific habitat, or the total number of a specific species in a specific habitat.
47. biomass processing residues Byproducts from processing all forms of biomass that have significant energy potential.
48. Bone dry unit (BDU) (BDU) A quantity of wood residue which weighs 2,400 pounds at zero percent moisture content.
49. British thermal unit (Btu) (BTU) The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit; equal to 252 calories.
50. by-product Material, other than the principal product, generated as a consequence of an industrial process or as a breakdown product in a living system.
51. cambium (pl.: cambia) A one or two cells thick layer of plant meristematic tissue, between the xylem and phloem tissues, which gives rise to secondary tissues…
52. Capacity Your ability to make your mortgage payments on time. This depends on your income and income stability (job history and security), your assets and savings…
53. Capital cost The total investment needed to complete a project and bring it to a commercially operable status. The cost of construction of a new plant.
54. carbohydrate A sugar molecule. Carbohydrates can be small and simple (for example, glucose) or they can be large and complex (for example, polysaccharides such as…
55. Carbon Dioxide (KAR-bun dy-OK-side) A colorless, odorless gas. It is a waste product made by the body.
56. carbon monoxide (KAR-bun muh-NOK-side) A poisonous gas that has no color or odor. It is given off by burning fuel (as in exhaust from cars or household heaters) and…
57. catalyst A substance that promotes a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy of a chemical reaction, but which itself remains unaltered at the end of…
58. Cellulase Enzyme catalysing the breakdown of cellulose.
59. CHIPS Woody material cut into short, thin wafers. Chips are used as a raw material for pulping and fiberboard or as biomass fuel.
60. co-firing The use of a mixture of two fuels within the same combustion chamber.
61. co-generation The technology of producing electric energy and another form of useful energy (usually thermal) for industrial, commercial, or domestic heating or cooling…
62. Combustion The process of burning; the oxidation of a material by applying heat, which unites oxygen with a material or fuel.
63. Combustion Air Air that provides the necessary oxygen for complete, clean combustion and maximum heating value.
64. continuous fermentation A process in which cells or micro-organisms are maintained in culture in the exponential growth phase by the continuous addition of fresh medium that is…
65. Coproducts The potentially useful byproducts of ethanol fermentation process.
66. Corn stover Residue materials from harvesting corn consisting of the cob, leaves and stalk.
67. cracking A reduction of molecular weight by breaking bonds, which may be done by thermal, catalytic, or hydrocracking.
68. dehydration A condition caused by the loss of too much water from the body. Severe diarrhea or vomiting can cause dehydration.
69. dehydrogenation A chemical reaction in which hydrogen is removed from a compound.
70. denaturant A substance that makes ethanol unfit for consumption.
71. Dewatering The separation of free water from the solids portion of spent mash, sludge, or whole stillage by screening, centrifuging, filter pressing, or other means.
72. Digester An airtight vessel or enclosure in which bacteria decomposes biomass in water to produce biogas.
73. disaccharides The class of compound sugars that yields two monosaccharide units upon hydrolysis; examples are sucrose, maltose, and lactose.
74. distillate The portion of a liquid that is removed as vapor and condensed during a distillation process.
75. distillation The process of heating a mixture to separate the more volatile from the less volatile parts, and then condensing fractions of the resulting vapour so as…
76. distillers dried grains (DDG) (DDG) The dried grain byproduct of the grain fermentation process, which may be used as a high-protein animal feed.
77. Dry Ton 2,000 pounds of material dried to a constant weight.
78. drying Moisture removal from biomass to improve serviceability and utility.
79. E-10 A mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline based on volume.
80. E-85 A mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline based on volume.
81. Effluent The treated waste water discharged by sewage treatment plants.
82. elemental analysis The determination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, chlorine, and ash in a sample. See ultimate analysis.
83. energy crop A crop grown specifically for its fuel value. These include food crops such as corn and sugar cane, and nonfood crops such as poplar trees and switchgrass.
84. Enzymatic hydrolysis A process by which enzymes (biological catalysts) are used to break down starch or cellulose into sugar.
85. enzyme A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in the body.
86. ester (ES-ter) A type of chemical substance that is a combination of acid and alcohol. Esters are found in essential oils (scented liquid taken from plants).
87. ethanol Commonly used to disinfect plant tissues, glassware utensils and working surfaces in tissue culture manipulations; to precipitate aqueous solutions of…
88. extractives Any number of different compounds in biomass that are not an integral part of the cellular structure.
89. Fast pyrolysis Thermal conversion of biomass by rapid heating to between 450ø to 600øC in the absence of oxygen.
90. fatty acid A major component of fats that is used by the body for energy and tissue development.
91. Feedstock A raw material that can be converted to one or more products.
92. Fermentation The anaerobic breakdown of complex organic substances, especially carbohydrates, by micro-organisms, yielding energy.
93. fixed bed A bed of closely spaced particles through which gases move up or down for purposes of gasification or combustion.
94. fixed carbon The carbon remaining after heating in a prescribed manner to decompose thermally unstable components and to distill volatiles.
95. Flash Point The minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor within a test vessel in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the…
96. fluidized bed A gasifier or combustor design in which feedstock particles are kept in suspension by a bed of solids kept in motion by a rising column of gas.
97. Fly ash The fine particulate matter entrained in the flue gases of a combustion power plant.
98. forestry residues Includes tops, limbs, and other woody material not removed in forest harvesting operations in commercial hardwood and softwood stands, as well as woody…
99. Fossil fuel Solid, liquid or gaseous fuels formed in the ground after millions of years by chemical and physical changes in plant and animal residues under high…
100. Fungi Plant-like organisms with cells with distinct nuclei surrounded by nuclear membranes, incapable of photosynthesis.