Abstract
Storage conditions play a vital role in maintaining biomass quality as a suitable bioenergy feedstock. Research has shown that biomass undergoes significant changes under different storage conditions and that these may influence its suitability for various biorefining and bioenergy opportunities. This study explores the effects of different tarp covers on the properties of stored-comminuted forest harvest residue from the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Forest. Characteristics of the biomass were evaluated upon harvesting and after one year in storage. The physical state of the different tarps used for pile coverage was monitored onsite. Results indicated that tarp material considerably affects micro-climatic conditions inside piles, yielding variation in the characteristics of stored biomass over the storage period. While plastic based tarps were easier to work with and lasted longer than paper-based tarps, the paper-based tarps were more breathable and resulted in less degradation of biomass. However, the paper-based tarps did not maintain their structural integrity for the full duration of the storage period. Moisture content of original biomass (48.99%) increased to a maximum of 65.25% under plastic cover after 1 year of storage. This negatively influenced the net heating value of the biomass, causing it to decrease from 8.58 MJ/kg to 4.06 MJ/kg. Overall, the use of covers was not considered successful in preserving the original quality of biomass but may enhance its quality for other biorefinery opportunities.
Highlights
Forest biomass has gained attention as an alternative energy source to address unsustainable supplies of fossil based fuels [1]
This paper examines the impact of two different tarp covers—moisture permeable versus moisture impermeable—on stored comminuted forest harvest residue properties in Eastern Canadian climatic conditions
The quality characteristics of “fresh” forest biomass are commonly accepted as the standard measure of biomass when biomass is being considered for industrial applications
Summary
There are multiple factors involved in storage practices that may influence the changes that biomass undergoes These include climatic conditions, pile geometry and structure, pile size, storage time, species composition, moisture content, season of harvest, and state of the biomass [7]. Covering storage piles with tarps is suggested to be an inexpensive air drying technique that has been shown to be feasible and enhance biomass quality in certain operations. This paper examines the impact of two different tarp covers—moisture permeable versus moisture impermeable—on stored comminuted forest harvest residue properties in Eastern Canadian climatic conditions. It aims to evaluate the overall biomass quality with respect to coverage during extended storage It aims to evaluate and compare the performance of different tarp covers by their effects on the various physical and chemical characteristics of biomass material. Conclusions drawn from this study can be used to inform optimal storage strategies that maximize the desirable properties of biomass as a raw material for the purpose of direct combustion or thermal/biochemical conversion to novel forms of bio-energy and bio-materials
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