Energy densification and torrefaction of biomass mixtures

• Grant number: 18/14827-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2018
• End date: October 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agricultural Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Andrea Cressoni de Conti
• Grantee: Andrea Cressoni de Conti
• Host Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rosana. Rosana , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: FÁBIO MINORU YAMAJI

Abstract

One of the great problems encountered in use of agricultural waste is connected with the handling, transport and storage, and when it comes to the energy issue we have the low density of these materials present, so the energy densification, in this case we will adopt the briquetting process, has been adopted as a way to improve all these variables and also to increase the energy density of the product, thus enabling its use. When we work with energy densification an existing problem is the briquette formation. A material that presents this problem is sugarcane bagasse that has been very friable. Thus making mixtures of various residues, such as sugarcane straw, cassava strain and seaweed, may help to reduce this friability, and may also increase the energy density of the briquette. Rosana is a municipality that has a lot of biomass from agriculture, agroindustry and hydroelectric reservoirs, it is necessary to present solutions for the use of this biomass, in order to protect the environment and make the most of the use it can offer. Among the agricultural waste from this region has in quantity, are the residues coming from the cassava crop. Rosana also has the residues of sugarcane bagasse and sugar cane straw, originating from the sulcro-ethanol plant, as well as the algae biomass (Egéria densa) generated by cleaning the grids of the hydroelectric power plant, mainly from Porto Primavera . This work intends to use the residues: cassava strain, sugarcane bagasse and straw, and the macrophyte Egeria densa to make briquettes, torrefaction them and verify the best composition of the mixtures for later energetic use of the briquettes, as well as verify if the macrophyte and the cassava strain, used in natura during the making of the briquettes can act as binders and thus form a briquette better. Thus, this study will promote a greater knowledge of this biomass and its possible use, in addition to the fact that these mixtures are innovative, and it is believed that they can produce a well formed briquette and a good calorific value storing a large quantity of energy to be released through the burning of briquettes in various uses, whether in cooking or burning in gasifier for the production of electric energy. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

NDUMBO, MANUEL; DE FREITAS, CAROLINE; DE CONTI, ANDREA CRESSONI; BRIENZO, MICHEL. Biomass biorefinery for biopolymers isolation, fermentable sugars, and briquettes production. BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY, v. N/A, p. 11-pg., 2022-09-01. (19/12997-6, 18/14827-8)

DE CONTI, ANDREA CRESSONI; GRANADO, MARCOS PAULO PATTA; PADILLA, ELIAS RICARDO DURANGO; NAKASHIMA, GABRIELA TAMI; DE CONTI, CLAUDIO; YAMAJI, FABIO MINORU. Binderless Briquetting of Mixed Cassava Rhizome, Sugarcane Bagasse, and Sugarcane Straw for Producing Solid Biofuel with High Durability. BioEnergy Research, JUL 2021. (18/11837-2, 18/14827-8)

PATTA GRANADO, MARCOS PAULO; MACHADO SUHOGUSOFF, YURI VALENTINOVICH; OLIVEIRA SANTOS, LUIS RICARDO; YAMAJI, FABIO MINORU; DE CONTI, ANDREA CRESSONI. Effects of pressure densification on strength and properties of cassava waste briquettes. RENEWABLE ENERGY, v. 167, p. 306-312, APR 2021. (18/11837-2, 18/14827-8)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project