Chemical characterization of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) residues for improvements in the energy production in sugar and alcohol plant

• Grant number: 16/03742-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2016
• End date: June 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering - Forest Biomass Energy
• Principal Investigator: FÁBIO MINORU YAMAJI
• Grantee: Camila Macedo Teixeira
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias para a Sustentabilidade (CCTS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Since the decade of 70, owing to the oil crisis, new goals for energy generation have been created in order to replace fossil fuel resources consumption and improve the renewable and sustainable energy conception. Thereby, new investments have been developed worldwide and in Brazil for production of biofuels, as the ethanol, one of the most important in the energetic international market (MANFRIN et. al., 2011). The ethanol is produced by the agro industrial system of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.), apart from being one of the oldest agro business process, too important in the Brazilian economy. Besides, jointly with India, Brazil stands out in the world production of sugarcane and also, it is the principal producer of sugar and ethanol, in addition to be the main exporter of ethanol, representing US$ 43 billion in the PIB of 2013/2014 (NEVES et.al., 2014). São Paulo is the foremost state of sugarcane cultivation and, after the approval of the bill nº11.241/2002, which prohibits the burning process before harvest, the mechanization in the camp has been increased, bringing on a considerable deposit of residues through harvest, as the sugarcane straw. This straw residue has been presented an incredible potential as a biomass and energy cogeneration with the use of sugarcane bagasse, however the harvest process and combustion still illustrates many faults without explanation and study related to it. Therefore, this project has the purpose to research about the combustion potential of sugarcane straw, searching new process that could be able to improve its utilization by alcohol and sugar plant, with the sake to upgrade the development and application of new methods to generate energy spin-off biomass. (AU)