Herbaceous Biomass Shredding for Biofuel Compositions

Abstract

The 2003 reform o f the EU Common agricultural policy stimulates farmers to grow more energy crops, including short rotation coppice and other perennial crops. Peat can be used as additive for manufacturing o f solid biofuel, because it improves density, durability o f stalk material briquettes (pellets) and avoid corrosion o f boilers. For these reason herbaceous biomass compositions with peat fo r solid biofuel production is recommended. The main conditioning operation before biomass compacting is shredding. It was stated that common reed stalk material particle size reduction during cutting (shredding) process increased energy consumption very significantly. The calculation o f energy consumption fo r common reed cutting to sizes 0.6 and 0.5 mm was giving results 31.3 k J kg'1 and 43.5 k J kg'1. The shredder cutter bar has to be designed with friction energy losses decreased to minimum. This aim can to be realized by reducing o f area o f cutter bar knives moving into stalk biomass and minimizing biomass pressure (Patent LV13447) on cutter bar.

Unraveling the Impact of Global Warming on Phragmites australis Distribution in Egypt

“…Reed beds purify water in two ways. The aerenchyma in intact reed stalks brings oxygen to the roots, which starts bacterial activity (Kronbergs et al, 2006). Phosphorus is removed via chemical adsorption and biological transformation, while Nitrogen is largely eliminated by denitrification, nitrification, ammonia volatilization, ammonification and cation exchange for ammonium (Sarafraz et al, 2009).…”

Evaluation of Phragmites australis for Environmental Sustainability in Bahrain: Photosynthesis Pigments, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn Content Grown in Urban Wastes

“…P. australis acts as a water filter plant in two ways. The first is the bacterial activity in the rhizosphere that is triggered by the reed stalks through oxygen transport to the roots through the aerenchyma [8]. Nitrogen is eliminated mainly by ammonification nitrification coupled with de-nitrification, ammonia volatilization, and cation exchange for ammonium, while phosphorus is removed by chemical adsorption and biological transformation [5].…”

Mechanical Properties Of Composite Biomass Briquettes

“…By blending peat with chips or herbaceous biomass also sulphur content of the fuel is increased, sulphates are formed instead of chlorides, and the risk of corrosion is avoided [2]. Using peat with woody or herbaceous biomass has also other advantages -peat addition increases density and durability and lowers energy consumption for stalk material densification (briquetting, pelleting) [3,4]. Particle size and shape are also of great importance for briquetting.…”

“…It is generally agreed that biomass material of 6-8 mm size with 10-20% powdery component (< 4 mesh) gives the best results [5]. Calculated energy consumption for common reed cutting to mention size was > 5 kJ kg -1 but for size 20 mm it was approximately 1 kJ kg -1 [3]. The goal of the investigation was to obtain the necessary density and durability of reed-peat and straw-peat briquettes of larger biomass particles by arranging them.…”