Characterization of Woodchips for Energy from Forestry and Agroforestry Production

Rodolfo Picchio, Raffaello Spina, Alessandro Sirna, Angela Lo Monaco, Vincenzo Civitarese, Angelo Del Giudice, Alessandro Suardi and Luigi Pari
Additional contact information
Rodolfo Picchio: Department of Science and Technology for Agriculture, Forest, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Raffaello Spina: Department of Science and Technology for Agriculture, Forest, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Alessandro Sirna: Department of Science and Technology for Agriculture, Forest, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Angela Lo Monaco: Department of Science and Technology for Agriculture, Forest, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Vincenzo Civitarese: Agricultural Engineering Research Unit of the Agriculture Research Council (CRA-ING), Via della Pascolare, 16, 00016 Monterotondo, Italy
Angelo Del Giudice: Agricultural Engineering Research Unit of the Agriculture Research Council (CRA-ING), Via della Pascolare, 16, 00016 Monterotondo, Italy
Alessandro Suardi: Agricultural Engineering Research Unit of the Agriculture Research Council (CRA-ING), Via della Pascolare, 16, 00016 Monterotondo, Italy
Luigi Pari: Agricultural Engineering Research Unit of the Agriculture Research Council (CRA-ING), Via della Pascolare, 16, 00016 Monterotondo, Italy

Energies, 2012, vol. 5, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: We set out to determine the particle-size distribution, the fiber, the bark and the leaves content, the heating value, the CNH and the ash content of a wide sample of wood chips, collected from 10 forestry and 10 agroforestry production sources. This sampling focused on two main production types: forestry (Full Tree System—FTS—and logging residues—LR) and agroforestry (Short Rotation Coppice—SRC). For the forestry production wood chips from coniferous and broadleaf species were considered. For the agroforestry production wood chips from poplar plantations were examined (different clones with two different harvesting intervals). Overall, we collected 400 samples. Particle size distribution was determined with an automatic screening device on 200 samples. The higher heating value was determined on 200 subsamples using an adiabatic bomb calorimeter. The CNH and the ash content was ascertained on another 200 subsamples. FTS and SRC (with three year old sprouts) offered the best quality, with high fiber content (71%–80%), favorable particle-size distribution and good energetic parameters. On the contrary, both logging residues and SRC (with two year old sprouts) presented a high bark content (18%–27%) and occasionally a mediocre particle-size distribution, being often too rich in fines (6%–12%), but the energetic parameters are in the normal range.

Keywords: woody biomass; high heating value; ash content; fiber; bark (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: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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