Near-infrared spectroscopy, hyperspectral, multispectral imaging principles and applications in energy properties of biomass

Biomass is renewable energy which is zero neutrality carbon energy. It is used for generating heat energy and electrical energy. Therefore, the use of biomass with high efficiency is important and the quality of biomass related to its energy should be measured before utilization and trading. The measurement of energy indexes of biomass is necessary to the thermal conversion process and the trading of biomass. However, the conventional measurement methods are laborious and take a long time, with a lot of costs. In recent years, near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and imaging technologies (hyperspectral and multispectral images) have been widely investigated and applied as non-destructive, reliable and accurate techniques to monitor the quality and composition of biomass. This chapter contains the principle of NIR and imaging technique including essential component principles, NIR and imaging technique procedures, novel model development methods and applications. The non-destructive measurement of biomass quality as the real time and non- contact measurement will be represented. Moreover, this chapter will describe the application of NIR and imaging techniques for analysing the energy indexes of biomass, such as heating value or calorific value, proximate data, elemental composition, combustion index, pyrolysis characteristics, mechanical properties and so on.