Drying and Pelletizing Analysis of Waste from Cork Granulated Industry

Francisco José Sepúlveda, José Ignacio Arranz, María Teresa Miranda, Irene Montero and Carmen Victoria Rojas
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Francisco José Sepúlveda: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Materials, Industrial Engineering School, University of Extremadura, Avenue Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
José Ignacio Arranz: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Materials, Industrial Engineering School, University of Extremadura, Avenue Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
María Teresa Miranda: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Materials, Industrial Engineering School, University of Extremadura, Avenue Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Irene Montero: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Materials, Industrial Engineering School, University of Extremadura, Avenue Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Carmen Victoria Rojas: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Materials, Industrial Engineering School, University of Extremadura, Avenue Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Cork granulated industries generate a considerable amount of wastes, such as grinding powder and granulometric separation powder. Some of these industries have started using these wastes as fuels for their own boilers, mixing them previously. However, there are differences between both wastes, especially the high moisture of grinding powder. This fact causes stratification during storage and makes boiler feed and its control more difficult, due to the heterogeneity of the resulting fuel. In the present research work, an overall study for combined pelletizing of these two wastes was carried out, with the aim of assessing their use in the same industries where they were generated or for other industrial uses. Thus, the optimum conditions for the highest yield of the pelletizing process were determined, and an analysis of the dry residue from grinding powder was carried out. Finally, the total specific energy was determined for the whole process. Among the main findings, it should be pointed out the obtaining of pellets with suitable physical properties and the high ash content that makes its possible commercialization difficult. Concerning the specific energy used, most of it corresponded to the drying process of grinding powder, recommending that it come from an exothermic process of cork granulated industry.

Keywords: biomass; pellets; specific energy; grinding powder; granulometric separation powder (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: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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