Assessing Energy Potential in Maize and Paper Agroindustrial Waste Through Recycling and Bioenergy Transformation

Abstract

In view of the production rate and use of paper and agricultural waste, it has become imperative to develop ways of treating their residues through recycling, reuse and transformation into value-added products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential of agro-industrial waste in natura from paper and corn for producing bioenergy. Analyses to characterize the waste were performed on the particle size profile (mesh); moisture content (%); ash content (%); volatile materials (%); fixed carbon (%); bulk density (kg.m-3); upper calorific value (kcal.kg-1); lower calorific value (kcal.kg-1); useful calorific value (kcal.kg-1) and energy density (MJ.m-3). All the tests were carried out in accordance with the ABNT and ASTM technical standards. The results obtained for each biomass were subjected to ANOVA analysis of variance and the means were compared using the Tukey’s test at the 5% probability of error level. Most of the waste was classified as fine, up to 1mm. Paper waste had the highest ash and volatile content (4.2% and 85.1%), while corn had the highest fixed carbon content (15.2%). The higher calorific values observed for corn and paper waste were 4,367.0 and 4,101.3 kcal.kg-¹. The moisture content of the corn and paper waste was 83.1 and 61%, respectively. The corn and paper waste had suitable physical and energy characteristics in view of their potential for use as bioenergy products. The paper had the best properties for energy use.