Pelletizing biomass, especially straw and stalky materials, require a product-specific size reduction and liberation. This paper characterizes the cereal straw rye and specifies the necessities for production of energy pellets. The product-specific size reduction was achieved with the help of an impact mill. Further, the moisture content and the particle size distribution play an important role in the pelletization process and also with respect to the energy characteristics. Rye straw pellets have a lower heating value of 17.2 MJ/kg. The objective of this work is to increase the heating value from 17.2 MJ/kg to a value in between 18 and 18.5 MJ/kg. The pellets are prepared with increasing water contents and with the biogenous and fossil additives. The biogenous and fossil additives are chosen such that they ensure the necessary binding and simultaneously increase the heating value. Besides the heating value, the main pellet quality parameters such as mechanical stability, abrasion resistance, and combustion technical characteristics have been tested according to the existing norms (DIN51731, ÖNORM-M7135, DINplus, Agro+, and Agro). The particle size characteristics indicate an ideal distribution of the particles for the combustion in furnaces. The durability and mechanical stability of the pellets were in acceptance with the existing norms. Particle size characteristics, abrasion values, and strength characteristics showed a good correlation and displayed optimal combustion characteristics.

Dynamic behaviors of unstable colloidal dispersions are reviewed in terms of floc formation. Geometrical structure of flocs in terms of chemical conditions and formation mechanics is a key to predict macroscopic transportation properties. The rate of sedimentation and rheological properties can be described with the help of fractal dimension (D) that is the function of the number of contacts between clusters (N c ). It is also well known that the application of water soluble polymers and polyelectrolytes, which are usually used as a conditioner or flocculants in colloidal dispersions, critically affects the process of flocculation. The resulted floc structure is also influenced by the application of polymer. In order to reveal the roles of the polymers, the elementary rate process of polymer reaching to colloidal interface and subsequent reconformation process into more stable adsorption state are needed to be analyzed. The properties of permeable flocs and adsorbed polymer (polyelectrolyte) layers formed on the colloidal surfaces remain to be worked out in relation to inhomogeneous porous structure and electrokinetics in the future.

Developing countries face serious environmental, social and economic challenges in managing different types of organic waste. Proper treatment strategies should be adopted by solid waste management systems in order to address these concerns. Among all of the treatment options for organic waste, composting is the most approved method as an effective strategy to divert solid waste from landfills. This experimental research aimed to examine the potential of producing compost from source-separated municipal organic waste in Shiraz, Iran. Market waste (fruits and vegetables) and garden waste (plant residues) were used as the raw input materials. They were subjected to the windrow pile composting method in an open site area. The process was monitored against several physical, chemical and biological parameters. In-situ measurements (temperature and moisture content) were carried out on a daily basis. Sampling and lab analyses were conducted over the period of the biological treatment. The final product was of acceptable moisture and nutrient levels, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), and Carbon/Nitrogen ratio. All of the analyzed compost samples had lower concentrations of heavy metals than the Iranian and German standards. Overall, the results obtained revealed that composting is a promising method for municipal organic waste treatment. The findings also imply the effectiveness of the source-separation collection method in the production of high-quality compost.