Valorization of bio-based post-extraction residues of goldenrod and alfalfa as energy pellets

Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Dawid Skrzypczak, Daria Kocek, Małgorzata Mironiuk, Anna Witek-Krowiak, Konstantinos Moustakas and Katarzyna Chojnacka

Energy, 2020, vol. 194, issue C

Abstract: Goldenrod biomass and alfalfa post-extraction residues were valorized and used as a source of energy. The spent alfalfa and goldenrod biomass from the cosmetics industry were extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide and pelletized on the industrial compactor to enable the examination of their useful properties. This was accompanied by the determination of the total humidity, carbon, and hydrogen content, the heat of combustion, calorific value, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTG). The results were compared with the literature data. It has been shown that alfalfa pellets yielded a slightly higher combustion heat (19.56 MJ/kg) than goldenrod pellets 17.59 MJ/kg. Pellets obtained from alfalfa and goldenrod showed a slightly lower calorific value, respectively 18.17 MJ/kg and 16.35 MJ/kg than the pellets available on the market. This is mainly due to the lower carbon and hydrogen content. Still, the inference is that such biomass after the supercritical extraction, although not as rich in hydrophobic compounds (calorific fats), can be successfully used as a source of renewable energy.

Keywords: Waste biomass; Energy; Circular economy; Energy recovery; DCS analysis; TG analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:194:y:2020:i:c:s0360544220300050

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.116898

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