Abstract
Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris) is a very popular tree species in north-eastern Poland. Pines are frequently encountered in allotment gardens in the proximity of residential buildings. Pine biomass should not be composted because the produced humus has acidifying properties. For this reason, the management of pine waste biomass poses a problem. The article proposes a solution for managing pine waste biomass for heat generation. In the study, pine waste biomass was composed of needles, cones and dry branches. The biomass potential of Scots pine was determined. Waste biomass was harvested in spring when most allotment gardens are cleared after winter. The biomass yield of several trees was determined (in kg and dm3), and the average yield per tree was calculated. The average proportions of different biomass fractions in mixed waste biomass were also determined. The specific heat of different biomass fractions (needles, branches, cones) was determined for two scenarios. In the first scenario, waste biomass was harvested during a prolonged dry spell, and in the second scenario, waste biomass was harvested immediately after rainfall. The energy potential of waste biomass was determined. The harvested biomass was burned in an open fireplace in a cottage with an area of 48 m2. The time required to burn 10 m3of biomass and the resulting increase in indoor temperature were measured. The environmental impact of burning Scots pine biomass was determined.
Highlights
Scots (Pinus Sylvestris) is a common tree species that makes up around 66% of forest stands in Poland [1, 2]
Pine biomass can be used for energy generation [12, 13]
Based on the calculated heating value, the potential heat output of pine biomass was determined at MJ of heat, which is equivalent to 22 kg of coal with a calorific value of 26 MJ·kg-1
Summary
Scots (Pinus Sylvestris) is a common tree species that makes up around 66% of forest stands in Poland [1, 2]. This taxon produces substantial amounts of waste biomass [6] throughout the year, including needles, cones and dry twigs [7, 8]. Scots pine biomass should not be composted because it is degraded at a slower rate than other types of biological waste, and the resulting compost (humus) has soil-acidifying properties [9, 10]. For this reason, pine compost should not be used as fertilizer or organic substrate for ornamental plants and crops. The use of pine waste biomass for energy production has two benefits: biomass burning generates heat, and the resulting ash constitutes high-quality fertilizer that can be added to other types of composted biological waste [15, 16, 17]
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