Energy Consumption at Size Reduction of Lignocellulose Biomass for Bioenergy

Georgiana Moiceanu, Gigel Paraschiv, Gheorghe Voicu, Mirela Dinca, Olivia Negoita, Mihai Chitoiu and Paula Tudor
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Georgiana Moiceanu: Department Management and Entrepreneurship, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Gigel Paraschiv: Department of Biotechnical Systems, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Gheorghe Voicu: Department of Biotechnical Systems, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Mirela Dinca: Department of Biotechnical Systems, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Olivia Negoita: Department Management and Entrepreneurship, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Mihai Chitoiu: Department of Biotechnical Systems, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Paula Tudor: Department Management and Entrepreneurship, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: In order to obtain bioenergy (biogas, biofuel) or pellets, different types of lignocellulosic biomass are subjected to a mechanical pretreatment, first by size reduction, then by separating, and ultimately by fracturing or bio-refining. Biomass processing mainly refers to a grinding process that occurs until reaching certain limits. The size reduction process, such as grinding, is an operation that is executed with different levels of energy consumption, considering biomass mechanical characteristics and the necessary grinding level. This paper, illustrates a comparative analysis of experimental results obtained by grinding multiple types of vegetal biomass ( Miscanthus , corn stalks, alfalfa, willow) used in the process of bio-refining and bio-fracturing. Experiments were realized using both a laboratory knife mill Grindomix GM200 (Retsch GmbH, Haan, Germany), and a 22 kW articulated hammer mill, using different grinding system speeds and different hammer mill sieves. Results have shown that biomass mechanical pre-processing grinding leads to supplementary costs in the overall process through bio-refining or bio-fracturing in order to obtain bio-products or bio-energy. So, specific energy consumption for grinding using a hammer mill can reach 50–65 kJ/kg for harvested Miscanthus biomass, and 35–50 kJ/kg for dried energetic willow, using a 10 mm orifice sieve, values which increase processing costs.

Keywords: biomass; size reduction; hammers mill; energy consumption; Miscanthus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:9:p:2477-:d:226418

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