ASEAN CENTER FOR ENERGY(ACE)

Renewable Energy Project Competition

ASEAN Energy Awards (2006)

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION WITH RICE HUSK GASIFIER (Linn Tha)

MYANMAR INVENTORS COOPERATIVE SOCIETY(MICS)

12th May 2006

CERTIFICATION AND COVERING NOTE FROM CONSULTANTS, MANUFACTURER AND THE OWNER.

The RH-6 Rice Husk Gasifier is manufactured by Myanmar Inventors Cooperatives Society (MICS). It is bought and operated in Lin Tha village, Thandwe Township in Rakhine State for the purpose of rice milling and rural electrification.

The owner, the manufacturer and the consultant hereby happily agreed to welcome the ACEs Board of Judges and the experts to visit the site verification of the authenticity of the data presented.
The undersigned certified that the information provided is true, accurate and prepared by the consent of all parties concerned.

Consultant Engineer.

Manufacturer.

Client (The Owner).

U Htun Naing Aung Engineering Consultant Kyawzay Co.,Ltd No.674 Tharaphi Street Parami Avenue Yankin Tsp, Yangon MYANMAR Tel: 95-1-667940, 571284
Focal Point.

U Soe Tint Aung Managing Director Myanmar Inventors Cooperative Society. No.24 F/D Thant Zin Sub Street Mayangone Tsp. Yangon MYANMAR Tel: 95-1-662835, 684301

U Aung Thein Win The Owner Lin Tha Village; Sandwe Tsp. Rakhine State MYANMAR Tel: 95-43-42555 , 43222

U Soe Myint Director General Energy Planning Dept. Ministry of Energy Naypyidaw, MYANMAR Tel: 95-67-411057 , Fax: 95-67-411113 e.mail. Myanmoe@mptmail.net.mm

Introduction.
Energy is one of the main issue globally nowadays. Energy can create economic crisis. Energy can create political issues. Energy can afford the climate change.The fossil fuel is estimated with present consumption as depleting within 40~50 years from now which can be seen within our life time. The Renewable Energy is one of the main co-topic not only in our ASEAN countries but also globally all over the world to find out the answer before the fossil fuel is depleted. All the people in ASEAN countries eat rice majority as daily main energy food for living. Therefore rice plantation, rice harvesting and rice milling would be forever with the people. With this basic logic it is easily calculated that the rice husk would be available every now and then.

With this idea in mind, Myanmar Inventors Cooperative Society (MICS)had tried to develop the rice husk gasifier and promoting this technology within its own effort. During ten years of experience, MCIS could produced rice husk gasifier better and better. (Please see the invented and modified models on page 6.) With its own R&D program MCIS could solved and achieved the tar content in the producer gas which causes most trouble to engine. This technology has provided less trouble, longer life of engine and better engine efficiency.
MCIS is now producing not only different sizes of rice husk gasifier but also the gasifier run by other kinds of biomass such as wood chip, coconut palm, outside shell of peanut and any kinds of wood trunk or branches., etc. MCIS is presently manufacturing the following standard gasifiers.
No. 1 2 3 Description Model Engine Output (HP) Gen. Output (KWH) RH-6 60 30 RH-10 RH-15 RH-20 RH-25 RH-30 100 150 200 250 300 50 75 100 125 150

With its wide range of products, the client has chances to choose the suitable model within their own financial and expected product output. This is why the present owner had chose the rice husk gasifier RH-6 expected to use as the main energy source for rice mill and rural electrification where he lived in Rakhine State in MYANMAR.

Project Location
Lin Tha is a small village located in Thandwe Township, Rakhine State. The village is 200 miles North West of Yangon and next to the Ngapali Beach. Ngapali is one of the best natural white sand beach in the world facing to the west on the bal of Bangal. With its white sand beach and shallow sea water it makes a tourist attraction and resort destination place in Myanmar since decades.

Resort Hotel

Ngapali

Ngapali Beach

Ngapali Beach

Census Board

The village entrance

1. Originality
The Original Design. The basic principle of biomass gasification has been known in Myanmar since late 18th century and commercial application of the principle was first recorded in 1830.* Biomass gasification is simply known as the conversion of solid biomass (wood, rice husk, corn, etc) into combustible gas mixture called producer gas. There are three different type of gasifier and four distinct processes in the gasifier (reactor furnace) such as Drying, Pyrolysis, Combustion and Reduction. Types of Gasifier

With this basic principle and technology, City Electrification with wood gasifier was utilized in Mawlamyaing Town in Myanmar during WWII. The cheaper price of diesel and petrol in the market after WWII caused the gasifier less attractive and put aside. Within the context of environmental protection and global warming, Myanmar has been gaining momentum in renewable energy and enhancing the social and economic lives of rural people. The Central Research Organization had developed Wood Chip Gasifier in 1970. The Myanmar Inventor Cooperative Society (MICS) had started the production of Rice Husk Gasifier in 1990 and produced commercially since 1996. MICS has developed and modified 16 different kinds and stages of gasifier and improved the energy output and reduced tar content in the producer gas.** Note. * The history record has been kept in the Myanmar National Library.
** By modifying filter such as scrubber, tar separator and the filtering material.,etc.

16 different kinds of gasifiers that MICS has developed and modified are shown as following. Model 003 Model 002

Model 001

Model 013

Model 008 Model 007

Model 010

Model 005

Model 009

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Model 011 Model 012 Model 016 Model 015

Application.

The application of the Rice Husk Gasifier is presently used in many kinds of power generation such as Rice Milling, Ice Factory and Electrification etc..

Rice milling

Biogasifier

Ice Factory

Approach.

Electrification

Even though the raw material rice husk is easily found and abundant waste in many rural areas, the idea of rice husk gasification is a very strange to the villagers. The rice husk from the rice milling is very reliable source of energy which is previously thrown into the nearby river and caused pollution and also made the river shallow.

All the conventional rice mills(mid to large scale) are using the rice husk as a main energy of direct firing to the boiler to generate the steam and steam engine which is the main power source for rice milling in Myanmar. Some modernize rice mills are using the electric motors for the whole plant and cause the surplus rice husk. The estimated total rice husk available in Myanmar is shown as the following.

Capacity (tons/24hrs)

# Large Scale Rice Mill State Private Total 68 1158 1226 10469 11695 5113 26625 31738 41341 73079

Estimated Estimated Rice Husk paddy husk used for production(x volume(x103 pow er(x103 103ton/year) ton/year) ton/year)

Small Scale Rice Mills

Total

1537 8002 9539 12424 21963

307 1600 1907 2485 4392

32 320 352 352

GOVERNMENTs ENERGY POLICY. To maintain the Status of Energy Independence. To promote wider use of New and Renewable Sources of Energy. To promote Energy Efficiency and Conservation. To promote use of Alternative Fuels in Household. With this energy policy and abundant rice husk waste from rice milling, the regional authorities and the private investor are very much interested in the gasifier and decided to start the project in Lin Tha village. The following map shows the electricity supplying net work in Lin Tha village in Thandwe Township, Rakhine State. Cable Post

The Power House

The central main road

The electricity distribution net work in Lin Tha village.

2.Environmental And Social Consideration

Amount of Emissions Avoided.
Using with the fire tube boiler in the conventional rice mill, the main energy source comes from direct firing of rice husk in the furnace. Steam generate the steam engine or turbine and the generator which is run by steam engine or turbine produces the electricity . Exhaust smoke from the chimney generally contains CO2 as 22~25%. It is measured CO2 in the exhaust gas of the gasifier as 9~10%. Therefore the amount of CO2 emission from the gasifier exhaust gas is found less amount than the Conventional Electric Generation (CEG) with fire tube boiler.
No. 1 2 Description Content(%) Amount of CO2 emission from (CEG) with boiler 25 Amount of CO2 emission with Gasifier 10 Emission Avoided 15

C + O 2 = CO2 C + CO = 2CO C + H2O = CO + H2 C + 2H2O = CH4 + O2

Remarks Full load Full load

Community / People Participation. The people in this area has lived without electricity and has very little knowledge of electricity. Everyone had concerned about this project since it was laid down the decision of implementation of this project as they fully understand it could really benefit to the their life style and the way of living.
The Power House

The Local government authorities (Township, District and State level) also provided the necessary support and guidance as this project is useful to the community. Population List Name of Village House Hold Family Population Livelihood No. of school. Lin Tha 480 496 1898 (1) Fishing. (2) Agriculture. 2

Benefit to User. No expense is needed for the fossil fuel. With people interest and keen to improve their standard of living the user knows it is the best things to do for the community and itself. It is also easy to expect the regular income and profitable ones when solving the community needs. Benefit to Community. Create the employment and the villagers become income earners. The community get improve their living standard compare to the life without electricity. The lighting in the dark is invaluable mostly in the developing countries as it has experienced the darker nights. The enjoyment of the villagers in the evening is undescribe able in words. The following pictures were taken very recently at the evening prime time in Lin Tha village.

As it is in the summer holiday the school children are happy to read comic & magazing at rental shop.

Playing Snooker is one of the favorite sport for the youth.

Mum, I am watching TV.

I love you more than I can say....

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The precious time of the day.

One of the Video theatre in Lin Tha village.

Night Bazaar in Ngapali

Extended Business Hour Benefit to Country. (1) Save the foreign currency for the purchase of diesel oil. (2) Maintain the Status of Energy Independence. (3) Help the rural and remote area development program. Other features. Benefits from Biomass Gasifier System Application (1) The cost of using rice husk for gasifier is much cheaper than that of using fossil fuel for internal combustion engine getting the same output electrification. Next song is mine.

(2)
(3)

Biomass Gasifier systems can create the opportunities for the betterment of social and economic conditions of the rural people as the cost of diesel or petrol is too high.
It can also enhance the development of new business opportunities for Private-sector entrepreneurs.

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3.Technical, Economic Market Consideration

Installed Capacity. The model no. Engine Out put Generator Out put Technical Design.
Fuel Characteristic. Fuel type Moisture content Size Ash Content System Characteristic. Gasifier type Gasification Agent Prime Mover Application Rice Husk 10~12% 1.2 cm 21%
Cooling Tower Scrubber

RH-6 60 HP 30 KW

Blower

Reator Furnace

Filters

Ash Remover

Tar Separator

Downdraft, Fixed Bed. Air Cargo LDT465 Gasoline Engine Rice milling & Electrification

Technical Specification Gasification Efficiency 70~80% Overall Electric Efficiency 15~40% Heating value of producer gas. 1200~1300 Kcal/Nm Tar Content 120 mg/ Nm Dust content clean gas 130 mg/ Nm Temperature of producer gas(at engine inlet) 30~40 C Biomass (rice husk) feeding rate 1.6 Kg/KWh

Technical Performance. A thermal converting process of dry biomass (Rice Husk) feedstock into a mixture of gases called producer gas that can be burnt in the internal combustion engines. The electricity is developed from the generator directly driven by the gasifier engine.Fuel requirement of biomass (rice husk) is 1.6 Kg / kwh.Total estimated biomass required is approximately 87 tons per year.

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Investment Cost. The estimated total project cost is as following.

Item 1 2 3 4 5 6 Description Building Cost Gasifier Unit Gas Engine Generator Unit Electricity main & distribution system Installation and Overhead Cost Total Cost US$ 2,500 3,750 1,250 1,250 4,583 2,000 15,333

Financial Scheme/Livelihood Projects. N/A Funder (Government and non-government) Private Own.

4. Operation And Maintenance Scheme

Operation Hours (per day/per month/year) Due to the double functions, the factory is run as following. 17 hours per day.(12 Hours rice milling + 5 hours lighting ) 365 days per year. 6205 hours per year. Maintenance scheme (In house, contracted out service, Government, others) In house Management Team. One Manager, Two Operators, One Technician Contracted Out Service. One Engineer. (MICS) One Technician. (MICS) Government & NGO. One Area Engineer. (Rakhine States District Engineer.) One Expert. (MES) Man Hour. 3x17x365=18615manhr/year. Regular maintenance measures. MICS had provided the operator training during start up and tested their skillful at the end of commissioning.It is also provided the operation andregular maintenance scheme, such as the check list before engine start and the timetable of filter change. ..etc. By improving the filtering stage it is seen less cleaning is necessary. It means less tar content in the producer gas. The regular maintenance procedure is very simple and easy to follow up. It is written clearly on every parts of the gasifier not to be missed out. (Please find on the picture.) The most important in the maintenance scheme is to replace the gas filter and it takes only a few minutes.
Checking the Producer Gas

Schedule of Filter Change

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Other maintenance measures (Training, after sales service )

Periodic Check up and Technical Information are provided by MICS as a part of After Sales service. Local Service Content The Local government authorities such as Township, District and State level are always keep in touch and give the necessary support and guidance as this project is useful to the community.

5. Replicability
Replicability of project. This project can be easily replicated in any area which has simple rise husk and the communitys commitment to having electricity with self help initiatives. The following pictures were taken at the semilar power house nearby village with different makers.

Thandwe Factory

Zee Phyu Gone Factory

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Life of project. Starting Date. 15th Mar, 2005.

Cost Effectiveness (No cost, Low cost, High cost) The total project cost of setting up is not high. The cost of raw material (rice husk) is relatively low at present. Sustainability of project.

The Gasifiers produced by MICS has the following characteristics. (1)Simple Design. (2)Easy Construction. (3)Compactness. (4)Convenient Operation. (5)Simple Control System. (6)Easy Maintenance and Reliability. (7)Low Investment and Operation Cost. With these characteristics and good After-Sales service, the increasing number of users are growing very quickly. Please find the Sales record as following.
Year 1995~1999 2000~2005 Unit 179 244

CONCLUSION The rice husk gasifier is the most suitable Renewable Energy to be utilized not only in Myanmar but also to all the countries that produced rice. It can be utilized in many sectors such as Rice milling, Ice making, Electrification, Saw mill, Battery charging, the Home and Industrial use such as power supply and cooking. Myanmar Inventors Cooperative Society never stops its R & D program as it needs to improve tar free producer gas and more engine efficiency. It can also be concluded from above presentation that using Gasifier is a kind of helping hand in New and Renewable Energy implementing in Myanmar by various government organizations, agencies, NGOs, private sector and others. Myanmar is doing its best to comply with ASEAN expectation to utilize 10% of its energy requirement from New and Renewable Energy sources by 2015.

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