Pelletization and efficient use of agricultural waste: Effects of moisture,temperature and pressure on fuel pellet quality

Biomass, including renewable carbon sources, is crucial to produce biofuels and value-addedproducts. Waste biomass densification into pellets improves the characteristics of loose biomassresidue for efficient transport, storage, and thermochemical conversion into advanced fuels.This research focused on examining the process of preparing solid fuel pellets from PithBagasse. The fuel pellets were examined in the laboratory, by focusing on the three parametersincluding die temperature (۷۰, ۹۵ and ۱۲۰ °C), pressure (۲۰, ۳۰ and ۴۰ bar), and moisturecontent (۲۰, ۳۰ and ۴۰% wb) at a retention time of ۲۰ seconds and the initial density of thepellets with a diameter of۶ mm. The density of the fuel pellets ranged between ۹۴۰-۱۳۱۸ kg/m۳.The Central Composite design was employed to understand the interactions betweencompression operating conditions for the optimal density of the pellets. The optimal densitywas obtained for the samples produced at moisture content of ۲۰-۲۵% (wb), pressure of ۴۰ barand die temperature of ۱۲۰ °C having the initial density above ۱۰۰۰ kg/m۳.

Keywords:

Sugarcane , Pith , Bagasse , Pellet , Density