Bamboo can be used to produce solid, gaseous, and liquid fuels, as well as to generate heat and biofuels for transport and electricity. The main objective of this study was to investigate the physical and fuel properties of Bambusa vulgaris in three ecological zones for their utilization potential for the production of biofuels. Thirty-six samples of Bambusa vulgaris culms from 3 ecological zones in Ghana were milled to powder to assess the physical and fuel properties. The physical properties; moisture content, high heating values, bulk density, density, and ash content were investigated. The fuel properties were based on ultimate analysis, carbon, hydrogen nitrogen, and oxygen. The mean moisture content (MC) for the green bamboo ranged from 68.8% (dead culm) to 148% (mature culm) and 168% (juvenile culm). The MC for dried samples ranged from 9.09 to 13.06%. The results showed that the % MC of the samples increased with decreasing values of high heating and ash content. The mean density of the matured bamboo culms varied from 616.84 to 641.68 kg·m–3 and dead bamboo culms from 609.01 to 632.72 kg·m–3. Marginal reduction in density was observed in dead bamboo culms across the three ecological zones as compared to the mature bamboo culms. This implies that when B. vulgaris overgrows, its density decreases. High heating values ranged from 16.12 to 18.14 MJ·kg–1. Bulk density determines the transportation and storage of biomass; it ranged from 0.12 to 0.52 g·m–3. The ash contents were within the threshold (≥3%) of European standard. The mean values for the ultimate analysis of carbon (48.46 to 53.31%), hydrogen (5.60 to 6.56%), nitrogen (0.58 to 0.61%), and oxygen (39.73 to 41.35) were higher. Fuel properties of Bambusa vulgaris are comparable to some wood types, lower to denser wood types, but higher than most of the herbaceous energy crops and agricultural residues. This means that Bambusa vulgaris may be a good feedstock for the production of bioenergy in terms of heat, charcoal, biogas, bio-power, and transportation fuel.

This work examines how ash and the mineral elements in four bamboo culm growth stages (shoot, juvenile, mature and dead) can affect fuel conversion technology plants through slagging, fouling, and corrosion. 48 samples consisting of the shoot; juvenile; mature and dead culms were tested for ash content and ash mineral elements. The mean values of ash contents of the bamboo culm growth stages across the three ecological zones were from 0.93% to 2.11%. The contents were within the threshold approved in the EN standards EN 14775 ≥3%. The mean values of carbon across the culm growth stages ranged from 48.46% to 53.31%. Hydrogen among the bamboo culms ranged from 5.60 to 7.04%. Higher carbon and hydrogen contents lead to higher heating values. Nitrogen among the culm growth stages ranged from 0.31 to 0.79%. The concentration levels of N in the culms were within the threshold prescribed in the EN standards EN 15104 ≥ 1%. The mean Cu concentration of mature culms ranged from 0.89-1.31 ppm; Zn ranged from 2.74-3.25 ppm; As varies from 0.055 to 0.078 ppm; Ni ranges from 0.43-0.85 ppm and Cd in the mature bamboo culm ranged from 0.81 to 3.66 ppm. Amount the minor ash elementals calcium in the mature culm ranged from 16.70 to 26.49 ppm; potassium (K) from 0.42-2.45 ppm and Mg from Ca and Mg contents increases the melting point of ash K content lowers the melting point of ash which can cause slagging. The concentrations of minor and heavy metals were below the standard set by EN 1496 1-2 and therefore may not cause problems to human health or slagging to combustion plants for the production of biofuels.