A Study of Bioenergy Production from Chilean Tessaria absinthioides

Abstract

This study assesses whether the use of Tessaria absinthioides (TA) pellets as a bioenergy resource is feasible or not. Its fuel properties were characterized and its combustion behavior assessed via a traditional log wood stove with a basket of wood pellets. Combustion of pinewood (Pinus radiata) commercial pellets (CP) was used as a reference in order to analyze experimental results. TA has a high ash content of 8.1% and an HHV of 17.47 MJ kg−1. Alkaline index on the TA pellets was of 1.46 kg alkali GJ−1, a relatively high value, which resulted from high sodium content in ash. Oven and exhaust temperatures during the combustion of TA and CP present similar behavior. The combustion chamber’s highest temperature for CP was 841.15 °C, while for TA, the highest temperature was 685.65 °C. Furthermore, CO and PM emission was superior for TA pellets, averaging about 4943.6 ± 235.2 mg Nm−3 and 32.45 ± 6.49 mg MJ−1, respectively at 13% O2. Results obtained have shown that there were no apparent hindrances for an extensive use of TA as a bioenergy resource and use of pellet baskets to combust pellets in traditional wood log stoves.