Valorization of Vine Tendrils Resulted from Pruning as Densified Solid Biomass Fuel (Briquettes)

Abstract

Concerns over the past decades have focused, more than ever, on finding and implementing efficient, handy, renewable sources to reduce pollution. Biomass, in general, and biomass from annual vine cuttings, are a renewable source that can be used by a large mass of the population. Biomass densification in the form of briquettes is an efficient method of obtaining a biofuel with the same characteristics as wood. The obtain of densified material as a briquettes consisted of sampling the vine cuttings, drying them naturally, chopping and grinding and briquetting. The obtained results showed that the size of the briquettes met the requirements imposed by the standard, having a length between 185 mm ... 400 mm and a diameter of 58 ± 0.75 mm, the humidity of the briquettes varying between 5.42%, at Sauvignon Blanc and 7.98% for Pinot Noir, while the durability of the briquettes registered minimum values of 98.17% for Muscat Ottonel and maximum of 99.14% for Fetească neagră, the bulk density having values between 658.04 kg /m 3 at Fetească albă and 756 kg/m 3 for Pinot noir. The conclusions of these experiments are promising, showing that the densification of biomass from vines cuttings qualify within the standard requirements for obtaining a valuable biofuel.

Researches regarding evaluation of energy consumption for manufacturing of pellets from vine pruning residues

“…drying temperature 160 ºC; precision: sample mass 0.1-5 g ± 0.3 %; sample mass 5-15 g ± 0.06 %; sample mass > 15 g ± 0.04 %. Tendrils dehydration was performed at 105 ºC [12].…”

“…The operating parts of the matrix were heated to more than 110 ºC before pelletization in order to achieve proper densification conditions, respectively, temperatures above 130 ºC inside the pellet, due to friction [12][13][14].…”

“…The pelletization ratio (G p ) was evaluated by sieving the pellets through a sieve according to the SR EN ISO 17831-1 standard: cage diameter -400 mm; round orifices with a diameter of 3.15 mm [12]. The initial sieved sample (m pi ), obtained through pelletization, was split into two components: pellets that remained on the sieve (m p ), larger than 3.15 mm, and fragments that passed through the orifices of the sieve.…”

“…The tendrils resulting from the dormant pruning of vines are also a combustible lignocellulose raw material. The resulted biomass is an important energy source due to the significant level of the high calorific value, which is comprised between 14.49 MJ•kg -1 for the Pinot noir variety and 18.31 MJ•kg -1 for the Feteasca regala variety [8]; from a chemical point of view, this type of biomass has high carbon content, over 43.1 % for all the studied varieties [8]. The vine tendrils contain 24-32 % lignin, 29-40 % cellulose and 17-26 % hemicellulose, depending on the variety [8][9][10].…”

“…The resulted biomass is an important energy source due to the significant level of the high calorific value, which is comprised between 14.49 MJ•kg -1 for the Pinot noir variety and 18.31 MJ•kg -1 for the Feteasca regala variety [8]; from a chemical point of view, this type of biomass has high carbon content, over 43.1 % for all the studied varieties [8]. The vine tendrils contain 24-32 % lignin, 29-40 % cellulose and 17-26 % hemicellulose, depending on the variety [8][9][10]. The high content of lignocellulose substances is favourable for production of densified biomass in the form of briquettes and pellets.…”