Energy Consumption Depending on the Durability of Pellets Formed from Sawdust with an Admixture of FFP2 Masks

Nikola Čajová Kantová, Pavol Belány, Michal Holubčík and Alexander Čaja
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Nikola Čajová Kantová: Research Centre, University of Žilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26 Žilina, Slovakia
Pavol Belány: Research Centre, University of Žilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26 Žilina, Slovakia
Michal Holubčík: Department of Power Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Žilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26 Žilina, Slovakia
Alexander Čaja: Department of Power Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Žilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26 Žilina, Slovakia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: At present, we are still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in connection with the huge amount of waste generated. However, the reuse of the produced waste in other processes requires energy consumption. This article deals with the reuse of face masks FFP2, which were added as an admixture to spruce or beech sawdust and then processed into pellets. During the production process of the pellets, energy consumption was measured and further converted to one ton of pellets, and also the consumption was reflected in the price of electricity. After storage, the mechanical durability and dimensions of the individual pellets were measured, and their density was calculated. Based on the results, it can be concluded that spruce pellets with 10% face masks FFP2 (consumption 747.41 kWh; durability 97.53%) and beech pellets with 5% face masks FFP2 (consumption 721.27 kWh; durability 97.38%) achieved higher values of mechanical durability and also consumed more energy than the remaining samples with lower values of durability without considering the sample with spruce sawdust and 5% FFP2 face masks (consumption 872.63 kWh; durability 91.68%). The production of spruce pellets with 5% FFP2 face masks was affected mainly by cold outside weather.

Keywords: wood pellets; COVID-19; energy consumption; mechanical durability; particle density (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: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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