Comparative Study on Quality of Fuel Pellets from Switchgrass Treated with Different White-Rot Fungi

Onu Onu Olughu, Lope G. Tabil, Tim Dumonceaux, Edmund Mupondwa and Duncan Cree
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Onu Onu Olughu: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada
Lope G. Tabil: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada
Tim Dumonceaux: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon Research Centre, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X2, Canada
Edmund Mupondwa: Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada
Duncan Cree: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Fungal pretreatment of switchgrass using Phanerochaete chrysosporium (PC), Trametes versicolor 52J (TV52J), and the Trametes versicolor mutant strain (m4D) under solid-state fermentation was conducted to improve its pellet quality. For all three fungal strains, the fermentation temperature had a significant effect ( p < 0.05) on pellet unit density and tensile strength. The p -values of the quadratic models for all the response variables showed highly significant regression models ( p < 0.01) except for dimensional stability. In addition, 3.1-fold and 2.8-fold increase in pellet tensile strength were obtained from P. chrysosporium - and T. versicolor 52J-treated materials, respectively. Microstructural examination showed that fungal pretreatment reduced pores in the pellets and enhanced pellet particle bonding. Among the fungal strains, PC had the shortest optimum fermentation time (21 d) and most positive impact on the pellet tensile strength and hydrophobicity. Therefore, switchgrass pretreatment using PC has the potential for resolving the challenges of switchgrass pellet transportation and storage and reducing the overall pelletization cost. However, a detailed comparative technoeconomic analysis would be required to make definitive cost comparisons.

Keywords: fungal pretreatment; pelletization; pellet quality; solid-state fermentation; switchgrass (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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