Characterization of Agricultural Residues of Zea mays for Their Application as Solid Biofuel: Case Study in San Francisco Pichátaro, Michoacán, Mexico

Cindy Nereida Morales-Máximo, Luis Bernardo López-Sosa (), José Guadalupe Rutiaga-Quiñones, Juan Carlos Corral-Huacuz, Arturo Aguilera-Mandujano, Luis Fernando Pintor-Ibarra, Armando López-Miranda, Sharbaal Nicolás Delgado-Domínguez, María del Carmen Rodríguez-Magallón and Mario Morales-Máximo ()
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Cindy Nereida Morales-Máximo: Maestría en Sostenibilidad para el Desarrollo Regional, Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, Carretera Pátzcuaro-Huecorio Km. 3, Pátzcuaro 61614, Mexico
Luis Bernardo López-Sosa: Maestría en Sostenibilidad para el Desarrollo Regional, Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, Carretera Pátzcuaro-Huecorio Km. 3, Pátzcuaro 61614, Mexico
José Guadalupe Rutiaga-Quiñones: Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edif. D. Cd. Universitaria, Av. Francisco J. Múgica S/N, Col. Felicitas del Rio, C.P., Morelia 58040, Mexico
Juan Carlos Corral-Huacuz: Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, Carretera Pátzcuaro-Huecorio Km. 3, Pátzcuaro 61614, Mexico
Arturo Aguilera-Mandujano: Universidad Michoacana de Nicolás de Hidalgo, Francisco J. Mújica S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P., Morelia 58040, Mexico
Luis Fernando Pintor-Ibarra: Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edif. D. Cd. Universitaria, Av. Francisco J. Múgica S/N, Col. Felicitas del Rio, C.P., Morelia 58040, Mexico
Armando López-Miranda: Dirección de Materiales de Referencia, Centro Nacional de Metrología, Carretera a los Cues km 4.5, El Marques, Queretaro 76246, Mexico
Sharbaal Nicolás Delgado-Domínguez: Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, Carretera Pátzcuaro-Huecorio Km. 3, Pátzcuaro 61614, Mexico
María del Carmen Rodríguez-Magallón: Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, Carretera Pátzcuaro-Huecorio Km. 3, Pátzcuaro 61614, Mexico
Mario Morales-Máximo: Maestría en Sostenibilidad para el Desarrollo Regional, Universidad Intercultural Indígena de Michoacán, Carretera Pátzcuaro-Huecorio Km. 3, Pátzcuaro 61614, Mexico

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-16

Abstract: This proposal evaluates the energy potential of agricultural residues of Zea mays from an indigenous community in Mexico. The study consists of four stages: (a) evaluation of residue production in all community farming areas (b) morphological and physicochemical characterization, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman (c) the proximal and functional evaluation of the residues, through fiber analysis, determination of fixed carbon, humidity, estimation of calorific value, ash microanalysis and elemental analysis, and (d) evaluation of energy potential and multicriteria analysis. The results show that Z. mays residues have initial moisture values of less than 10%, ash content below 20%, fixed carbon around 14% and a calorific value of 17.6 MJ/kg associated with polymeric compounds and carbohydrates, as well as a percentage of extractable compounds of the order of 40%. The production of these residues on the 249 hectares (ha) of cultivation used would generate 23 TJ/year, whereas if the total number of hectares available were cultivated, the total energy generation would be 330 TJ/year, which is enough to satisfy the wood fuel demand of approximately seven communities with the characteristics of the study community. Due to this potential, as well as the results of the characterization, the agricultural mentioned residues are an energy alternative to meet the energy demand in communities in Michoacán, Mexico.

Keywords: rural energy; solid biofuel; sustainability; Zea mays (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
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