Investigation of Pressed Solid Biofuel Produced from Multi-Crop Biomass

The paper presents the preparation and use of pressed solid biofuel of multi-crop plants (fibrous hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.)) as mono, binary and trinomial crops. The results of the investigation show that three main chemical elements (carbon, oxygen and hydrogen) accounted for 93.1 to 94.9% of the biomass pellet content. The moisture content varied from 3.9 to 8.8%, ash content from 4.5 to 6.8% and calorific value from 16.8 to 17.1 MJ·kg−1. It was found that the density (DM) of all variants of pellets was very similar; the faba bean biomass pellets had the highest density of 1195.8 kg·m−3 DM. The initial ash deformation temperature (DT) of burning biomass pellets was detected, which varied from 976 to 1322 °C. High potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) concentrations were found in all types of biomass ash. The quantities of heavy metals in pellet ash were not large and did not exceed the permissible values according to Lithuanian legislation. These chemical properties of multi-crop biomass ash allow them to be used in agriculture for plant fertilization.

Design, Production Cost, and Air Flow Distribution of Biomass Pellet Furnace

Biomass attracts a great deal of attention to be converted into green fuels in the form of pellets. The furnace is needed to burn pellets to generate heat up to 300 kW. In addition to meeting the heat capacity needs of the small and medium-sized industries, furnaces must also be competitive in terms of price. The purpose of this study is therefore to obtain details of the cost of manufacturing the furnace and the model of air flow that occurs in the furnace. The cost of production of the furnace includes manufacturing costs, assembly costs, machining and repair costs. The findings revealed that the key portion of the cost of the furnace was a material cost of 77%. The findings of the simulation showed that the total pressure difference of up to 850 Pa and had to be resolved by air-supplying blowers. The gas velocity ranges from 2 to 10 m/s and rises significantly near the exit to 42 m/s.

Application of Biomass Pellets for Iron Ore Sintering

The use of biomass as fuel might solve several technological and environmental issues and overcome certain challenges of sinter production. In particular, as revealed by comprehensive analyses, biomass can be used as fuel for iron ore sintering. In this study, we investigate the use of some raw and pyrolysis-processed biomass pellet types, namely wood, sunflower husks (SFH), and straw, for iron ore sintering. In the experiments, the pyrolysis temperature was set to 673, 873, 1073, and 1273 K, and the proportion of biomass in the fuel composition was set to 25%. It was established that the addition of biofuels to the sintering blend leads to an increase in the gas permeability of the sintered layer. The analysis of the complex characteristics of the sintering process and the sinter strength showed the high potential of wood and sunflower husk pellets pyrolyzed at 1073 and 873 K, respectively, for iron ore sintering. The analysis of the macrostructure of the sinter samples obtained using biomaterials revealed that with higher pyrolysis temperatures; the materials tend to have greater sizes and higher amounts of pores and cracks. The composition analyses of the resultant sinters revealed that with higher temperature, the FeO content of the sinters tends to increase.

Pengolahan Sampah Organik dan Limbah Biomassa dengan Teknologi Olah Sampah di Sumbernya

Solid Waste Processing Technology at the Source (TOSS) is an alternative method in processing organic and biomass waste on a communal scale. The processing of organic and biomass waste material is carried out in three stages of the process: biodrying which utilizes the aerobic activity of microorganisms; chopping which is intended to refine the material, and pelletization to compact the material into biomass pellets. The biodrying process in bamboo boxes is able to reduce the water content in organic and biomass waste within 4-5 days. Sorting of non-organic materials can be done at an early stage before or after the biodrying process. Sorting is required before chopping and pelletizing process to avoid unnecessary machine break down. The biomass pellet which is the final product has a diameter of about 10 mm with a length between 10-40 mm, a calorific value between 3000-4000 kcal/kg, and a moisture content of up to 15%. Compared to coal, biomass pellets tend to have higher volatile and ash content, while lower ash and sulfur content.