Effect of adding of glycerine on density of pellet from wheat straw and aspen wood

Authors

  • Y. A. Khoma Institute of Clinical Biology and Genetics Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Інститут клітинної біології та генетичної інженерії НАН України
  • N. K. Kutsokon Institute of Clinical Biology and Genetics Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Інститут клітинної біології та генетичної інженерії НАН України
  • N. M. Rashydov Institute of Clinical Biology and Genetics Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine , Інститут клітинної біології та генетичної інженерії НАН України
  • V. M. Pavlisky Separated Subdivision of National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine BEREZHANY AGROTECHNICAL INSTITUTE , ВП НУБіП «Бережанський агротехнічний інститут»
  • O. V. Nesterenko Separated Subdivision of National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine BEREZHANY AGROTECHNICAL INSTITUTE , ВП НУБіП «Бережанський агротехнічний інститут»

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31548/dopovidi2018.05.007

Abstract

The need for energy sources with low greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable production encourages the search for alternative energy. Biomass is a good alternative to coal and oil. However, using the biomass as fuels faces the problem of storage, transport due to low density. Use of pellets as alternative biomass source is a way to reduce the volume of biomass by densification, which improves their energy quality. Pellets from biomass have acceptable calorific values, and in terms of environmental performance, they are ahead of other fuels because their production and application have less negative impact on the environment. To produce pellets, various types of biomass can be used, including wood, energy crops, agricultural and wood waste. When pelletizing biomass, binder or stabilizing agents are often added to reduce fractures and increase the density and durability of the pellets. Glycerol is known as waste byproduct for biodiesel industry. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine peculiarities of pellets from wheat straw and aspen wood produced with adding glycerol.

 Wheat straw and aspen wood were grounded with a laboratory extruder to obtain appropriate pelleting fractions. Prior to pelleting, extruded wheat straw and aspen wood were soaked in water-glycerol solution with mass fraction of glycerol 1 and 5% or in tap water (control); 250 ml of solution per 500 g of raw material was applied. Pellets were produced by laboratory granular machine with a flat matrix and two pressing rollers, and length and bulk density as a pellet’s characteristics were measured. The mass per unit volume gave the bulk density of the biomass in kg/m3. The measured results were processed statistically according to standard methods.

Experimental measurements demonstrated that addition of glycerol before pelleting significantly improves the quality of the pellets, both from wheat straw and aspen wood regarding to requirements of ENplus standards. Compared with the control variants, soaking the biomass in the aqueous solution of glycerol (1%) increased the bulk density of the wheat straw pellets by 11%, and pellets from aspen wood by 12%; and soaking extruded biomass in 5% glycerol solution increased the pellets bulk densities by 16% and 18% respectively. The length of pellets was also increased under glycerol treatment. In general, aspen wood pellets demonstrated higher levels of bulk density and length comparing to pellets from wheat straw. Thus, results of current study offers practical benefits for alternative energy.

Keywords: Biomass, pellets, wheat straw, aspen wood, glycerol, bulk density.

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Published

2018-11-06

Issue

No. 5(75) (2018)

Section

Biology, biotechnology, ecology

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