Assessment of Quality Indicators of Pressed Biofuel Produced from Coarse Herbaceous Plants and Determination of the Influence of Moisture on the Properties of Pellets

Algirdas Jasinskas, Vytautas Kleiza, Dionizas Streikus, Rolandas Domeika, Edvardas Vaiciukevičius, Gvidas Gramauskas and Marvin T. Valentin
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Algirdas Jasinskas: Department of Agricultural Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Studentu Str. 15A, Akademija, LT-53362 Kaunas, Lithuania
Vytautas Kleiza: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Informatics, Vytautas Magnus University, K.Donelaicio 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Dionizas Streikus: Department of Agricultural Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Studentu Str. 15A, Akademija, LT-53362 Kaunas, Lithuania
Rolandas Domeika: Department of Agricultural Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Studentu Str. 15A, Akademija, LT-53362 Kaunas, Lithuania
Edvardas Vaiciukevičius: Department of Agricultural Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Studentu Str. 15A, Akademija, LT-53362 Kaunas, Lithuania
Gvidas Gramauskas: Department of Agricultural Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Studentu Str. 15A, Akademija, LT-53362 Kaunas, Lithuania
Marvin T. Valentin: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Technology, Benguet State University, Km. 5, La Trinidad 2601, Philippines

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Three coarse herbaceous energy plants—such as Miscanthus ( Miscanthus sinensis ), sida ( Sida hermaphrodita Rusby) and cup plant ( Silphium perfoliatum L.)—were grown and investigated in the experimental fields of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, and the technical means of plant processing and utilization for solid biofuel were investigated. The physical–mechanical properties and quality indicators (moisture content, biometrical properties, density, and resistance to compression) of coarse stem herbaceous plants milled and compressed into 6 mm diameter pellets were investigated. The moisture content of the tested pellets was sufficiently low and ranged from 8.7% to 9.6%. The highest density was that of sida pellets (1072.3 ± 43.4 kg m −3 DM), and the lowest density was that of Miscanthus pellets (713.5 ± 67.1 kg m −3 DM). In order to evaluate the influence of moisture content on the properties of biofuel pressed into pellets, the density and the destructive compressive force of the different-moisture pellets were investigated and their change in the range of 5–15% pellet moisture content was evaluated. Criterion k was calculated to determine the effect of moisture on the pellet quality indicators (density, destructive compressive force, and lower heating value), and the following results were obtained: the highest influence of moisture on density was observed in sida ( k = 34.280), on destructive compressive force in Miscanthus ( k = 14.5), and on the lower heating value, also in Miscanthus ( k = 0.198). After a comprehensive investigation and evaluation of these properties, an empirical model suitable for practical use was developed and prepared. Emissions of harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, were determined when various coarse stem herbaceous energy plants were burned. The determined emissions of harmful gases into the environment did not exceed the permissible values.

Keywords: coarse stem plants; solid biofuel; milling; granulation; quality indicators; burning; emissions; energy evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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