Characterization of sugarcane straw and bagasse from dry cleaning system of sugarcane for cogeneration system

Abstract

Abstract The present work aimed to determine the physicochemical and thermal properties of sugarcane Dry Cleaning System Residue(DCR) and Bagasse from milling A(BMA) and B(BMB), aiming the cogeneration system application. The DCR and BMB are obtained after the Dry Cleaning System, currently used during the mechanized harvesting implemented in Brazil. The DCR under treatment is obtained as chopped sugarcane Straw (CSS), which together with the BMA and BMB are brought to the boiler, without considering yet the alterations that can have on that system. Accordingly, CSS, BMA and BMB were undergone analysis to determine their particle size, ultimate, proximate and elemental ash composition, bulk density and Higher Heating Value (HHV). The results indicate that CSS, BMA and BMB have a higher ash content 11.19 wt%, 2.08 wt% and 1.06 wt%, and lower fixed carbon content 11.54 wt%, 10.29 wt% and 8.92 wt%, respectively, in relation to the bagasse. HHV for CSS was 6.67 MJ kg−1, 18.59 MJ.kg-1 for BMA and 18.43 MJ kg−1 for BMB, being close to the 18.89 MJ.kg-1 of the bagasse. This, enables the addition of DCR along with BMA and BMB in bagasse cogeneration plants, but it can cause a fouling and slagging effects due of the presence of ashes with high content of alkali minerals.