Mineral Particles in Sugar Cane Bagasse: Localization and Morphometry Using Microtomography Analysis

Author(s)

Yancy-Caballero, Daison ^{[1, 2]} ; Ling, Liu Y. ^[1] ; Archilha, Nathaly L. ^[3] ; Ferreira, Joao E. ^[2] ; Driemeier, Carlos ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Brazilian Ctr Res Energy & Mat CNPEM, Brazilian Bioethanol Sci & Technol Lab CTBE, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Math & Stat IME, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Brazilian Ctr Res Energy & Mat CNPEM, Brazilian Synchrotron Light Lab LNLS, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ENERGY & FUELS; v. 31, n. 11, p. 12288-12296, NOV 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

Mineral particles are detrimental to lignocellulosic biomass utilization as fuel and feedstock of advanced biorefineries. Minerals may cause corrosion, sintering, and vitrification in boilers, gasifiers, and combustors as well as abrasion and erosion of mechanical equipment used in biomass processing. In this work, we employed synchrotron X-ray computed microtomography to analyze mineral particles in fibers of sugar cane bagasse, the vast lignocellulosic residue of the sugar cane industry. Hundreds of mineral particles with volumes from similar to 10(2) to 10(4) mu m(3) were observed and analyzed. Mineral particles were found mostly in three regions of the biomass particles: (i) at external surfaces, (ii) at internal surfaces associated with tissue cracks, and (iii) inside parenchyma cells, which were ruptured for extraction of the sugar-rich juice. These results provide novel insights for the development of bagasse cleaning technologies aiming at improving feedstock quality for combustion and biorefining. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/01587-0 - Storage, modeling and analysis of dynamical systems for e-Science applications
• Grantee: João Eduardo Ferreira
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - eScience and Data Science Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/01330-5 - 3D image analysis for realistic modeling and simulation of biomass conversion processes
• Grantee: Daison Manuel Yancy Caballero
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral