Quality assessment of solid biofuel made of sweet sorghum biomass

Tatiana Ivanova,Petr Hutla,Alexandru Muntean,Bohumi Lhavrland,Anna Szeląg-Sikora

doi:10.1051/bioconf/20181002007

Tatiana Ivanova, Petr Hutla + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20181002007

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Abstract

The present article relates to assessment of energy utilization of sweet sorghum waste biomass as solid biofuel (briquettes). The briquettes were produced from biomass of pure sweet sorghum after juice extraction, mixture of sorghum with wood sawdust (ratio 1:1) and mixture of sorghum with wood shavings (ratio 1:1). Chemical, physical and mechanical properties of produced briquettes were measured in accordance with appropriate standards. The research results showed that the mixed sorghum briquettes with wood shavings have the highest mechanical durability and the lowest ash content; on the other hand, briquettes made of sweet sorghum and wood sawdust havethe best values of all other parameters, including higher calorific values, density, etc. Although addition of residual wood biomass improved the general quality of sorghum based briquettes, it was stated that the briquettes made of pure processed sorghum stalks belong to the category of high quality agricultural solid biofuels. It can be concluded that sweet sorghum is of very good prospects and thus it is a promising biomass feedstock for solid biofuels production (not only for the production of liquid biofuel as it has been used by today and has been known before).

Highlights

Bioenergy, i.e. energy produced in the field or gained from waste biomass is one of promising trends in agricultural engineering research that merits higher attention of researchers and investments into application of its results
Gross calorific values (w.b. and a.r.) of pure sweet sorghum stalk briquettes correspond to gross calorific values of sorghum biomass published by other authors, for example 17.9 MJ kg-1 [23] or 17–19 MJ kg-1[14]
Based on references review and research results, the sweet sorghum waste biomass can be evaluated as very promising feedstock for solid biofuel production

Summary

Introduction

I.e. energy produced in the field or gained from waste biomass is one of promising trends in agricultural engineering research that merits higher attention of researchers and investments into application of its results. This is because the increasing energy consumption leads at present to a fast shrinking fossil fuel deposits and strong environment pollution probably reflecting in warming up the Earth's atmosphere. Sweet sorghum has been considered as a particular energy crop for production of bioethanol since 1970s It has high yield of biomass (54–69 t ha-1), i.e. stalks with high sugar content [14]. The main objective of this research is the analysis of potential and suitability of sweet sorghum biomass after juice extraction to be used for energy purposes in the form of solid biofuels, as briquettes

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