Content Of Pellets Research Articles

White-tailed Deer Fecal Matter Distribution and Nutrient Contribution in Tallgrass Prairie

Herbivores can have nonconsumptive effects on ecosystems, including the redistribution of nutrients in their waste. In tallgrass prairie bison (Bison bison) historically increased soil nitrogen availability via labile waste deposits. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are now the dominant native large herbivore in prairie and have been shown to consume higher nutrient-content plants than those preferred by bison. Deer are also edge-dwelling species that reuse the trails they make as they move and browse throughout the prairie. Therefore, deer may differ from bison in their spatial patterns of nutrient content and redistribution of fecal matter. We examined the nutrient content and spatial distribution of deer pellets by measuring the number of deer pellet piles along deer trails and transects that were systematically placed at the forest border and in open prairie. We also measured the nitrogen content of deer pellets. White-tailed deer pellets had twofold greater nitrogen concentrations (3.43% N and 40.8% C) compared to values reported for bison fecal matter. Deer pellet piles were more concentrated on deer trails compared to the transects, resulting in fourfold greater N inputs on deer trails compared to areas off of trails. As a result, White-tailed deer have the potential to create patches of increased nutrient availability through their clumped distribution of nutrient rich fecal matter, with potential consequences for prairie plant communities.

Evaluation of Properties of Pellets Made of Swine Manure

Abstract This paper deals with assessment of density, moisture content and mechanical properties of pellets made of dry swine manure utilizing pellet production line MGL 200. Pellets were subsequently subjected to compressive loading test. Furthermore, the values obtained were measured by means of device Andilog Stentor 1000 and compression diagrams were plotted. In terms of compressive strength, pellet type 1 showed value of 10.47 MPa; pellet type 2 showed value of 6.24 MPa. Considering the elasticity modulus, pellet type 1 showed value of 122.39 MPa; pellet type 2 showed value of 71.12 MPa. Other observed properties included force necessary for 10% compression strain; force in the first maximum of force-strain curve; force in the inflection point of the force-time curve. Results obtained from compressive loading test provide a basis for innovations in pellet production utilizing materials other than wood biomass.

Effect of recycled content and rPET quality on the properties of PET bottles, part III: Modelling of repetitive recycling

The presence of contaminants in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and derived materials from the various steps in the recycling loop is studied. Based on these measurements, a model is proposed to generically describe the accumulation of these contaminants within closed‐loop recycling schemes for PET bottles. The measured levels of particle contamination and chlorine content of PET bottles, pellets, and intermediate recycling products are used to derive the modelling parameters. Previously determined relations between these measured parameters and critical bottle properties are used to model the effect of the accumulation of the contaminants on the bottle properties. The measurements reveal that the type of collection system influences the accumulation of contaminants in PET bottles greatly. PET bottles in mono‐collection systems accumulate less contaminants than PET bottles in co‐collection systems do. Therefore, PET bottles within recycling schemes using mono‐collection systems can contain more recycled content than those from co‐collection systems, without exceeding acceptation limits on critical bottle properties such as haziness, yellowing, and migration.

Effect of fuel composition uncertainty on grate firing biomass combustor performance: a Bayesian model averaging approach

Biomass has great potential to meet greenhouse gas reduction and fuel supply security in the future. Although the grate biomass combustors are increasingly deployed worldwide to generate energy from solid biomass, challenges in understanding the system operation to some extent have remained. This paper analyzes the effects of fuel composition uncertainty on the biomass grate combustor’s performance, which have not been solved so far. A 1D transient numerical model of the biomass fuel bed combustion is developed. A set of thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments on randomly selected biomass particles from the same fuel supplier are conducted to achieve the proximate analysis of the particles. The Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method was exercised to deliver the fuel uncertainty into the CFD model of the fuel bed. Results revealed that the fuel composition variability can significantly affect the solid fuel conversion so that ignoring them can result in incomplete combustion. In three various scenarios proposed, combustor is analyzed: (I) using primary fuel composition given by the producer, (II) mean value of fuel composition obtained from the BMA model, and lastly (III) fuel composition under fully uncertainty conditions. Results revealed that overlooking the fuel uncertainty results in overestimating system energy output by 8.3% and also can waste 1611-kg feed annually which is roughly 5% of whole consumed fuel. Meanwhile, owing to uncertainty associated with fuel composition, flame temperature can fluctuate up to 15 °C. According to the uncertainty analysis, char content of wood pellets has dominating role in fuel quality. Finally, a life cycle analysis (LCA) is conducted for the first, second, and coal-fueled system scenarios.

Contact Behavior of Microcrystalline Cellulose Pellets Depending on their Water Content

AbstractMicrocrystalline cellulose pellets for oral drug delivery are often produced by a combined wet extrusion‐spheronization process. During the entire process, the cylindrical as well as the spherical pellets are exposed to various stresses resulting in a change of their shape and size due to plastic deformation and breakage. In this work, the effect of moisture content of pellets on their mechanical behavior is studied. In static compression tests, the strong influence of water content on deformation behavior of pellets is confirmed. Moreover, impact tests are performed using a setup consisting of three high‐speed cameras to record pellet‐wall collisions. Material properties, such as stiffness, restitution coefficient, breakage force, and displacement, were analyzed depending on the water content.

Study of the influence of different types of bentonite clays on the quality indicators of pellets

Objective: to analyze and determine the influence of bentonite clays of different deposits and exchange ionic complexes on the metallurgical properties of iron ore pellets. Methods: performing rheological studies of bentonite clay samples and their chemical analysis, electron microscopic studies of samples. To assess the metallurgical characteristics of the pellets obtained, the moisture of the pellets, the compressive strength of the wet and dry pellets, the number of dumpings without destroying the wet pellets, and the temperature of the «shock» have been determined. Results: laboratory tests were conducted to determine the suitability of bentonite clays of different mineralogical composition and exchange ion complex for the production of pellets. Tests have shown that the impact resistance and compression resistance of raw pellets at a slightly increased specific consumption of bentonite Cherkasy alkaline-earth bentonite does not concede to the same properties of pellets with the use as a binder alkaline Saryugyhsky bentonite. It is demonstrated that to ensure good quality of raw pellets, an auspicious variety of clays of the Cherkasy deposit are clays of the IV layer, which are a natural mixture of alkaline-earth bentonite of the II layer and palygorskite (III layer). Tests of composite mixtures of clays IV with II and II with III layers showed that the quality of raw pellets with Cherkassky bentonite is slightly worse than with Sarygyuhsky, however, the absolute values of their indicators satisfy the industry requirements. Comparative tests of pelletizing of charges with different humidity and with the addition of 0.5% alkaline bentonite and a mixture of clays of the IV and II layers of the Cherkassky deposit have been carried out. It is shown that with increasing humidity in granules with both types of binders, the dynamic strength, porosity and temperature of the “impact” of granules increase with a minimum difference in the absolute values of indicators with different binders. To objectively confirm the possibility of using alkaline-earth bentonite of the Cherkassky deposit (II-III-IV layers) in the production of pellets, it is necessary to conduct comparative industrial tests at a pelletizing plant (for example, SevGOK), using a concentrate with the in-creased hardness of industrial water. Scientific novelty: the influence of alkaline bentonite replacement in charge for pellet production with alkaline earth, paligorskite clays and mixtures of their forms has been studied. The comparative influence of moisture content of raw pellets on their porosity and strength characteristics with alkaline and alkaline earth bentonites in the charge was studied. Practical significance: using the properties of raw, dry and calcined pellets as an example, the possibility of using less scarce and expensive local bentonite clays instead of expensive exported alkaline clays without impairing the production technology and characteristics of the pellets is shown.

Research Brief: Effect of Feed Form andFeeder Position on Feed Consumption Patterns in Male Broilers

Highlights Male broilers showed significant preference for whole pellets as compared to a 50:50 (by mass) mixture of pellets and fines and 100% fines. Broilers preferentially consumed pellets from the mixed diets, with 65% of the mixed diet consumed as pellets. Changes in feeder location did not affect preferences, and locations of preferred feed forms were readily re-acquired after re-positioning. Variation in pellet content may reduce effective feeder space through increased competition for pellets. Abstract. Post-starter phase broiler diets are almost universally pelleted during the manufacturing process to improve nutrient density, handling characteristics, and live performance. Low pellet durability, transportation, and on-farm handling and distribution can result in pellet destruction, ultimately resulting in variation in pellet distribution in a wire-auger feeding system. Given that poultry selectively feed to meet nutritional needs, the variation in pellet distribution observed in commercial feeding systems may result in a reduction in effective feeder space through increased competition for pellets. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of mixtures of feed form and location on feed consumption patterns in broilers. Feed form treatments included 100% pellets (P), a 50:50 mix (M) of pellets and fines (by mass), and 100% fines (F). A total of 264 broilers were randomly allocated to each of six rooms at 37 days of age and provided with each of the three feed form treatments in separate feeders. Feeder locations were rotated every three days, allowing each feed form treatment to be located in all three feeder positions. Overall mean consumption rates for each feed form treatment were significantly different (p = 0.0001) with 70.3%, 21.3%, and 8.1% for the pellet only, mixed, and fines diets, respectively, and a pooled SEM of 0.02%. No significant differences were found for feeder position (p = 0.12) or test period (p = 0.91). Broilers were able to reliably re-acquire the position of preferred feed form treatments after each location change Keywords: Feeding systems, Housing design, Poultry.

Some design characteristics of micro steam turbines for agricultural biomass energy conversion

The paper continues the study of reconversion of a 400 kW hot water boiler in a steam generator suitable to valorise the energy content of briquettes and pellets of agricultural biomass. After steam parameters selection (pressure, temperature, mass-flow rate), an overview of main steam machines types (axial, radial, screw, piston engine) is done. Further, a parallel design of most wide-spread ones (Laval, Curtis and radial) were performed, at different rotation speeds, in order to find the best configuration in respect with the flow section dimensions, internal efficiency and power (electrical and thermal) output. The results of the paper could be very useful for the investors in agricultural “waste-toenergy” projects in order to select appropriate technology and equipment.

Antioxidant and laxative effects of taurine-xylose, a synthetic taurine-carbohydrate derivative, in loperamide-induced constipation in Sprague-Dawley rats.

[Purpose]In this study, we examined the in vitro antioxidant activities and laxative effects of taurine-xylose (T-X), a synthetic taurine-carbohydrate derivative, in a rat model of constipation induced by loperamide.[Methods]The animals were divided into four treatment groups: normal untreated rats (NOR group), loperamide-treated control rats (CON group), loperamide and taurine-xylose (15 mg/kg)-treated rats (T-X group), and loperamide and commercial Dulcolax S (5.5 mg/kg)-treated rats (DS group).[Results]In the present study, T-X exhibited potent reducing power and free radical scavenging activities for DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS+ (2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid ammonium salt) radicals. The laxative effects of T-X were dependent on food, body weight, fecal properties, gastrointestinal transit (GIT) ratio, and serum metabolic parameters. In the T-X group, the number, wet weight, and water content of fecal pellets were noticeably increased compared to those in the loperamide-induced group. T-X treatment significantly increased the activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes, including those of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), relative to those in loperamide-induced constipated rats. Furthermore, the GIT ratio and loperamide-induced metabolic parameters in serum, including gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), and somatostatin (SS) levels, were significantly improved by T-X treatment.[Conclusion]These results suggest that taurine-xylose exerts antioxidant activities and laxative effects on loperamide-induced constipation by promoting gastrointestinal motility.

Effects of pesticide exposure and predation risk on nutrient cycling and primary production

Understanding how pesticides and natural stressors shape ecosystem functions remains a major challenge. A largely overlooked way how stressors may affect nutrient cycling and primary production is through effects on body stoichiometry and the egestion of elements. We investigated how exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos and to predation risk, an abundant natural stressor in aquatic systems, altered the stoichiometry of the bodies and the egested faecal pellets of Enallagma cyathigerum damselfly larvae and how this further cascaded into effects on primary production (algae growth). Chlorpyrifos exposure reduced egestion rates while predation risk had no effect. Chlorpyrifos exposure and predation risk affected both elemental composition of bodies and faecal pellets, and this in an additive way. Chlorpyrifos exposure increased body C(carbon), N(nitrogen), and P(phosphorous) contents, and increased the C content of the faecal pellets. Predation risk induced an increase of the N content, resulting in a decreased C:N ratio, of both the bodies and faecal pellets. The changes in the composition of the faecal pellets caused by predation risk but not by chlorpyrifos exposure increased algae growth under control conditions. This indicated that algae growth was N limited. Our results provide an important proof-of-principle how a stressor may shape nutrient cycling and subsequently primary productivity.

Rhubarb-Evoke Mucus Secretion through Aggregation and Degranulation of Mast Cell in the Colon of Rat: In vivo and ex vivo studies

Rhubarb is commonly used to treat constipation in China for its function of promoting intestinal movement and optimum water content in feces. However, its mechanism of mucus secretion is vague. The aim of the study is to investigate the role of mast cells and enteric neurons in rhubarb extract (RE)-induced mucus secretion in the rat colon. Immunofluorescence was used to detect histamine receptors. Western blotting and 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) were applied to explore the content changes of mast cells activation. The changes in colonic goblet cells (GCs) were determined by means of PAS/AB staining. An intestinal perfusion system with a Bradford protein assay kit was directly to estimate in vitro secretion. And the cytokines were investigated with ELISA. The longitudinal aspect of this study indicate that the number and water content of faecal pellets were enhanced after the administration of different doses of RE accompanied by mast cells accumulated and increased the content of interferon (IFN) -γ or decreased the levels of interleukin (IL) −10 at doses of 3 and 6 g/kg. Pretreatment with ketotifen, mast cell stabilizer, had partially inhibited on RE-induced mucus secretion. Furthermore, RE induced the release of acetylcholine and mucin-2 in the colonic tissue and the histamine levels from the faeces. The results suggest that RE induced colonic mucus secretion involves mast cell activation and some cytokine.

FORMULASI PAKAN UNGGUL BERBASIS BIOTEKNOLOGI LIMBAH ORGANIK LOKAL UNTUK IKAN LELE ORGANIK KUALITAS EKSPOR

Research on Superior Feed Formulations Based on Local Organic waste Biotechnology for Export quality organic Catfish. Research Objective: The discovery of feed types of tilapia and organic catfish that have export quality nutritional content based on the best quality local marine organic waste through a touch of biotechnology. Furthermore, the complete chemical composition of the waste used and feed components is obtained. Research Methods: Determine the best composition of biomass of marine organic waste and local onshore organic wastes with the highest levels of protein and carbohydrates and integrated with other wastes. The nutritional content is analyzed, namely: Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and supporting minerals, namely: Fe, K and Ca. Instrumentation used to support the research objectives is AAS and HPLC. Research Results: Export quality organic catfish pellet feed in the form of waste: marine fish, sea shrimp waste, sea crab waste, rice bran waste, corn waste, mixed organic waste, golden snail waste, seaweed waste and coconut water waste respectively (27; 15; 7.5; 33; 3; 2.5; 5; 2.5 and 2) %b/ b, starch 2% b/b and marine phytoplankton biomass 0.5% b/b. The nutritional content of organic catfish pellets that have been produced, namely: 51% protein b/b, 24% carbohydrate b/b, 9% fat b/b, crude fiber 8%b/b, water content 2 - 2.5%b/b, mineral Fe 1% b/b, mineral K 1% b/b, mineral Ca 1%b/b, ash content 2 - 2.5%b/b. Feed packing for export quality organic catfish pellets is given the "SANTARI-KU" label.
 Keywords: Superior feed, local organic waste biotechnology, export quality organic catfish, Santari-ku.

Sacral nerve stimulation with appropriate parameters improves constipation in rats by enhancing colon motility mediated via the autonomic-cholinergic mechanisms.

Although sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) has been applied for treating constipation, its parameters were adopted from SNS for fecal incontinence, its effects are limited, and mechanisms are largely unknown. We investigated the effects and mechanism of SNS with appropriate parameters on constipation in rats treated with loperamide. First, using rectal compliance as an outcome measure, an experiment was performed to derive effective SNS parameters. Then, a 7-day SNS was performed in rats with constipation induced by loperamide. Autonomic functions were assessed by spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) derived from an electrocardiogram. Serum levels of pancreatic polypeptide (PP), norepinephrine (NE), and acetylcholine (ACh) in colon were assessed. 1) Acute SNS at 5 Hz, 100 µs was found effective in enhancing rectal compliance and accelerating distal colon transit (P < 0.05 vs. sham SNS). 2) The 7-day SNS normalized loperamide-induced constipation, assessed by the number, weight, and water content of fecal pellets, and accelerated the distal colon transit (29.4 ± 3.7 min with sham SNS vs. 16.4 ± 5.3 min with SNS but not gastric emptying or intestinal transit. 3) SNS significantly increased vagal activity (P = 0.035) and decreased sympathetic activity (P = 0.012), assessed by spectral analysis of HRV as well as by the serum PP. 4) SNS increased ACh in the colon tissue; atropine blocked the accelerative effect of SNS on distal colon transit. We concluded that SNS with appropriate parameters improves constipation induced by loperamide by accelerating distal colon motility, mediated via the autonomic-cholinergic function.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) has been applied for treating constipation, its parameters were adopted from SNS for fecal incontinence, effects are limited, and mechanisms are largely unknown. This paper shows that SNS with appropriate parameters improves constipation induced by loperamide by accelerating distal colon motility mediated via the autonomic-cholinergic function.

Influence of SiO2 on the Compressive Strength and Reduction-Melting of Pellets

The effects of SiO2 content on the compressive strength, reduction behavior and melting-dripping properties of the pellets were investigated under experimental conditions. The experimental results indicated that the compressive strength of pellets gradually decreased with increasing SiO2 content, mainly because the pellets with high SiO2 had poor crystallization capacity, a more liquid phase and more pores. With increasing SiO2 content from 2.19 wt% to 8.13 wt%, the reduction degree of pellets descreased due to the generation of 2FeO·SiO2. Based on the morphology analysis, inside of the pellets, 2FeO·SiO2 caused the compact structure and fewer microspores with increasing SiO2 content, which was unfavorable for the reduction process and resulted in the decrease of the reduction degree. Also, increasing the SiO2 content had negative effects on the melting-dripping properties of pellets. The melting-dripping properties can be improved by adding some sinter with high basicity in the mixed burden. The current work established the relation between SiO2 content and reduction-melting behavior of pellets, which can provide theoretical and technical support for the effective utilization of pellets with different SiO2 content in blast furnace process.

Thermodynamic assessment of the fixed-bed downdraft gasification process of fallen leaves pelletized with glycerol as binder

In this work, the effect of airflow rate and glycerol content of pelletized fallen leaves (FL) on a fixed bed gasification process is studied. FLs were collected in the main campus of the University of Antioquia (Medellin, Colombia). Levels of airflow rate tested were 0.075, 0.150, and 0.225 kg/s/m2; and the glycerol content of pellets evaluated were 0 and 5%wt. When the airflow rate increased, flame front velocity increased up to 51.3%. This behavior was attributed to high temperatures in the reaction front, which were favored by the decrease of fuel-air equivalence ratio leading to high biomass consumption in the gasification process. Regarding the glycerol content of the pellets, production of gaseous species was favored with this compound, where an increase of CH4 by 25% and H2 by 20% was observed with regard to the raw pellets. The high concentration of the gaseous fuel species leads to an increase of cold gas efficiency (CGE) as well as chemical exergy efficiency (CEE) by ∼13%. Whereas, the irreversibilities (I) of the thermochemical process decreased by 10% when pellets with glycerol content were gasified.

Laxative Effects of Aqueous Extract of Sida acuta Leaves in Loperamide- Induced Constipation in Wistar Rats

Aim: To investigate the laxative potentials of aqueous leaf extract of Sida acuta in loperamide-induced constipation in Wistar rats.&#x0D; Methods: Constipation was induced by oral administration of loperamide (3 mg/kg b.wt.). The constipated rats were orally treated daily either with 200, 400, 800 mg/kg body weight per day of the extract or 0.21 mg/kg bisacodyl (reference drug) for 7 days while the normal and constipated control groups received distilled water. The feeding characteristics, body weight, faecal properties and gastrointestinal transit ratio were monitored throughout the study period.&#x0D; Results: There was significant decrease (p &lt; 0.05) between normal and constipated rats in the number of faecal pellets and water content of faecal pellets while there was no significant changes in the feed/ water intake and body weight of rats .Administration of the graded doses of the extract to the constipated rats significantly and dose- dependently normalized (p &lt; 0.05) the number of faecal pellets/ water content of faecal pellets and gastrointestinal ratio compared to the constipated control.&#x0D; Conclusion: The aqueous root extract of Sida acuta possesses laxative activity in loperamide- induced constipated rats.

A RADIATION DOSIMETRY ASSESSMENT OF WORKERS IN GREEK STYLE ROTISSERIES THAT USE PELLETS CONTAMINATED BY 137Cs AND 90Sr.

This work evaluates the 137Cs and 90Sr content of wood pellets of the Greek energy market and additionally calculates worker exposure in Greek catering establishments (rotisseries). Wood pellets and ash samples were analysed through high resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy and liquid scintillation. Imported pellets had higher 137Cs concentrations, especially pellets that were imported in bulk. Greek pellets had very smaller 137Cs amounts. Despite the high variation in 137Cs content the 137Cs exemption levels were not exceeded in any case. However, if an enrichment factor of 300 is assumed, some ashes samples may exceed 13000 Bq/kg. The highest amounts of 90Sr were measured in ashes from pellets manufactured abroad in 2015, with up to 1060 Bq/kg. A linear regression model of the ratio of 137Cs to 90Sr activity followed our data well, and other sets of data partially. A dosimetry assessment of kitchen employees revealed that maximum possible dose intake reached 400 nSv/year.

The Carbon:234Thorium ratios of sinking particles in the California current ecosystem 1: relationships with plankton ecosystem dynamics

We investigated variability in the C:234Th ratio of sinking particles and its relationship to changing water column characteristics and plankton ecological dynamics during 29 Lagrangian experiments conducted on six cruises of the California Current Ecosystem Long-Term Ecological Research (CCE-LTER) Program. C:234Th ratios of sinking particles collected by a surface-tethered sediment trap (C:234ThST) varied from 2.3 to 20.5 μmol C dpm−1 over a depth range of 47–150 m. C:234ThST was significantly greater (by a factor of 1.8) than C:234Th ratios of suspended >51-μm particles collected in the same water parcels with in situ pumps. C:234Th ratios of large (>200-μm) sinking particles also exceeded those of smaller sinking particles. C:234ThST decreased with depth from the base of the euphotic zone through the upper twilight zone. C:234ThST was positively correlated with several indices of ecosystem productivity including particulate organic carbon (POC) and chlorophyll (Chl) concentrations, mesozooplankton biomass, and the fraction of Chl >20-μm. Principal component analysis and multiple linear regression suggested that decaying phytoplankton blooms exhibited higher C:234ThST than actively growing blooms at similar biomass levels. C:234ThST was positively correlated with indices of the fractional contribution of fecal pellets in sediment traps when the proportion of fecal pellets was low in the traps, likely because of a correlation between mesozooplankton biomass and other indices of ecosystem productivity. However, when fecal pellets were a more important component of sinking material, C:234ThST decreased with increasing fecal pellet content. C:234ThST was also positively correlated with the Si:C ratio of sinking particles. Across the dataset (and across depths) a strong correlation was found between C:234ThST and the ratio of vertically-integrated POC to vertically-integrated total water column 234Th (vC:234Thtot). A mechanistic one-layer, two-box model of thorium sorption and desorption was invoked to explain this correlation. Two empirical models (one using vC:234Thtot; one using depth and vertically-integrated Chl) were developed to predict C:234Th ratios in this coastal upwelling biome. The former regression (log10(C:234ThST) = 0.43 × log10(vC:234Thtot) + 0.53) was found to also be a reasonable predictor for C:234ThST from diverse regions including the Southern Ocean, Sargasso Sea, Subarctic North Pacific, and Eastern Tropical North Pacific.

Influence of blending and hot water extraction on the quality of wood pellets

In order to meet the projected demand for biomass feedstocks, multiple sources will be needed. Biomass feedstocks are often have a high degree of variability with regards to important properties such as ash, moisture, and energy content. The efficiency of conversion processes may be sensitive to this variability; thus, strategies are needed to ensure that consistent and reliable feedstocks are produced that meet end-user specifications. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of source, blending and hot water extraction (HWE) on the quality of wood pellets. Debarked maple biomass was blended at various rates with whole stem harvested willow, HWE willow, and HWE maple biomass, made into pellets and then compared to existing ISO (17225) pellet standards. Untreated willow pellets were unable to consistently meet key specifications such as ash and moisture. However, pellets blended with either HWE willow, maple or HWE maple at rates between 20 and 50 percent willow still met the most stringent requirements. HWE decreased the ash content of willow below 1% and was on par with untreated maple. HWE increased the energy content of pellets in this study approximately 1 MJ kg−1. Blending and HWE have the potential to decrease variation in feedstock for pellet production and expand the range of material that can be used while still meeting standards for quality. Technologies for rapidly assessing feedstock properties at the front or back end will be needed to maximize the benefits of these two strategies when more variable feedstocks are used.

Relationship between Lignin Content and the Durability of Wood Pellets Fabricated Using Larix kaempferi C. Sawdust

This work was conducted to examine the relationship between lignin content and the durability of larch (LAR) pellets. LAR sawdust was immersed in tap water (TW), sulfuric acid (AC) and sodium hydroxide (AK) solutions, and then the immersed sawdust was used for pellet fabrication. Klason lignin (KL) content of the immersed LAR, contents of soluble lignin (SL) and monomeric sugars liberated from the immersion of LAR, and durability of LAR pellets were measured. KL content decreased as the concentration of AC and AK solutions increased, but glucose content increased with increase in AC and AK concentration. Durability of wood pellets fabricated using non-immersed LAR sawdust was the highest, followed by those made using TW-, AK- and AC-immersed sawdust. LAR pellets became more durable as the concentration of KL and SL increased, but a significant positive correlation was found only between pellet durability and KL content. Through the fluorescent microscopic observation and SEM-EDX analysis, it was verified that lignin content of non-immersed LAR pellets was higher than that of AC- and AK-immersed LAR pellets. These results suggest that lignin might contribute to an increase in inter-particle bonding in wood pellets.