Properties Of Pellets Research Articles

Comparison of the Anti-Obesity Effect of Enriched Capsanthin and Capsaicin from Capsicum annuum L. Fruit in Obesity-Induced C57BL/6J Mouse Model.

SUMMARYResearch backgroundObesity increases mortality and morbidity due to its impact on type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, arthritis and certain cancers. The epidemic of excessive mass and obesity require constant research to improve therapies without undesirable side effects. Therefore, exploring the anti-obesity phytochemicals from food sources is essential. Most pharmacological studies of the anti-obesity potential of Capsicum annuum have been directed towards capsaicin and very few towards capsanthin. However, these studies utilized uncoated capsaicin and capsanthin. This study aims to compare the anti-obesity effects of enteric-coated capsaicin and capsanthin in a high-fat diet-induced obesity in animal model.Experimental approachIn this study, we investigated the anti-obesity properties of capsanthin-enriched pellets and capsaicin pellets derived from red chili fruit (Capsicum annuum) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in C57BL/6J mice. First, the animals received HFD to induce their obesity. Animals were supplemented orally with pellets. The food intake, body mass, obesity and clinical biomarkers were assessed.Results and conclusionsThe mice fed with HFD gained body mass and white adipose tissue mass compared to the mice that consumed a normal diet. The oral administration of capsanthin-enriched pellets and capsaicin pellets significantly reduced the body mass gain. These pellets have a statistically significant (p<0.05) impact on obesity biomarkers by increasing adiponectin and decreasing leptin, free fatty acid and insulin concentrations relative to HFD control. There was no change in the liver mass in all groups, but there was a significant decrease in white adipose tissue amounts. Inguinal adipose tissue amount was reduced by 37.0% and that of epididymal adipose tissue by 43.64% after treatment with capsanthin-enriched pellets. These results suggest that capsanthin-enriched pellets and capsaicin pellets may be useful in combating metabolic diseases, including obesity, without adverse effects.Novelty and scientific contributionWe increased the content of capsanthin for more than 50% in capsanthin-enriched extract and extended the room temperature stability for more than one year by converting the crystals into capsanthin-enriched pellets. This study breaks new ground by examining the potential of capsanthin >50% in the management of obesity for the first time.

Mechanical and energy properties of pellets formed from walnut shells blended with spruce sawdust

Various waste materials have energy potential. It is important to make use of this potential and prepare the product for further use by treating the waste. Treatments such as compressing waste into pellets leads to increasing the energy density of this fuel, which benefits transport and storage costs. However, low bulk density, high ash content, low-ash melting temperatures, and low calorific values of non-woody pellets can cause problems during their combustion. This article deals with the energy usage of walnut shells, which were blended with spruce sawdust in various amounts and compressed into pellets. The mechanical and energy properties of these were measured and compared with recommended or standardized values. The formed pellets met the quality limit for bulk density, ash content, moisture content, the content of nitrogen and sulfur, and net calorific value according to ISO 17225. However, low ash melting temperatures were noticed for pellets from pure walnut shells, and also lower mechanical durability for produced pellets with walnut shells contents higher than 10% were detected.

PENGARUH VARIASI UKURAN SERBUK (MESH) DAN PERSENTASE PEREKAT TAPIOKA TERHADAP SIFAT FISIK PELLET KAYU GELAM

Utilization of the potential of biomass found in South Kalimantan with abundant raw materials, one of which is gelam wood which can be used as boiler fuel for steam power plants to reduce the use of coal fossil fuels. Gelam wood is processed into wood pellets using tapioca flour adhesive. The gelam wood pellet then carried out tests in the form of testing physical properties which included water content, ash content, volatile matter content, fixed carbon content, and calorific value. Wood pellets made from gelam were made using various sizes of powder (mesh) 40, 50, and 60 as well as using tapioca adhesive (percentage of adhesive 5%, 10%, and 15%. The gelam wood pellets were then tested for physical properties to determine their performance. The test results showed that wood pellets increased in moisture content, ash content, and volatile matter content along with the smaller size of gelam wood powder (mesh). While the carbon content and calorific value of wood pellets decreased along with the smaller size of the gelam wood powder (mesh). The addition of tapioca adhesive characteristics affect the physical properties of wood pellets, the higher the percentage of adhesive, the water content, volatile matter content, and ash content increase. Meanwhile, the addition of adhesive to wood pellets causes a decrease in carbon and calorific value.

Assessment of Quality Indicators of Pressed Biofuel Produced from Coarse Herbaceous Plants and Determination of the Influence of Moisture on the Properties of Pellets

Three coarse herbaceous energy plants—such as Miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis), sida (Sida hermaphrodita Rusby) and cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.)—were grown and investigated in the experimental fields of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, and the technical means of plant processing and utilization for solid biofuel were investigated. The physical–mechanical properties and quality indicators (moisture content, biometrical properties, density, and resistance to compression) of coarse stem herbaceous plants milled and compressed into 6 mm diameter pellets were investigated. The moisture content of the tested pellets was sufficiently low and ranged from 8.7% to 9.6%. The highest density was that of sida pellets (1072.3 ± 43.4 kg m−3 DM), and the lowest density was that of Miscanthus pellets (713.5 ± 67.1 kg m−3 DM). In order to evaluate the influence of moisture content on the properties of biofuel pressed into pellets, the density and the destructive compressive force of the different-moisture pellets were investigated and their change in the range of 5–15% pellet moisture content was evaluated. Criterion k was calculated to determine the effect of moisture on the pellet quality indicators (density, destructive compressive force, and lower heating value), and the following results were obtained: the highest influence of moisture on density was observed in sida (k = 34.280), on destructive compressive force in Miscanthus (k = 14.5), and on the lower heating value, also in Miscanthus (k = 0.198). After a comprehensive investigation and evaluation of these properties, an empirical model suitable for practical use was developed and prepared. Emissions of harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, were determined when various coarse stem herbaceous energy plants were burned. The determined emissions of harmful gases into the environment did not exceed the permissible values.

Pilot-Scale Pelleting Tests on High-Moisture Pine, Switchgrass, and Their Blends: Impact on Pellet Physical Properties, Chemical Composition, and Heating Values

In this study, we evaluated the pelleting characteristics of southern yellow pine (SYP), switchgrass (SG), and their blends for thermochemical conversion processes, such as pyrolysis and gasification. Using a pilot-scale ring-die pellet mill, we specifically assessed the impact of blend moisture, length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio in the pellet die, and ratio of pine to SG on the physico-chemical properties of the resulting pellets. We found that an increase in pine content by 25–50% marginally affected the bulk density; however, it also led to an increase in calorific value by 7% and a decrease in ash content by 72%. A moisture content of 25% (wet basis) and an L/D ratio of 5 resulted in poor pellet durability at &amp;lt;90% and bulk density values of &amp;lt;500 kg/m3, but increasing the L/D ratio to 9 and lowering the moisture content to 20% (w.b.) improved the pellet durability to &amp;gt;90% and the bulk density to &amp;gt;500 kg/m3. Blends with ≥50% pine content resulted in lower energy consumption, while a lower L/D ratio resulted in higher pelleting energy. Based on these findings, we successfully demonstrated the high-moisture pelleting of 2.5 ton of pine top residues blended with SG at 60:40 and 50:50 ratios. The quality of the pellets was monitored off-line and at-line by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Multivariate models constructed by combining the NIR data and the pelleting process variables could successfully predict the pine content (R2 = 0.99), higher heating value (R2 = 0.98), ash (R2 = 0.95), durability (R2 = 0.94), and bulk density (R2 = 0.86) of the pellets. Thus, we established how blending and densification of SYP and SG biomass could improve feedstock specifications and that NIR spectroscopy can effectively monitor the pellet properties during the high-moisture pelleting process.

Influence of tin doping on the liquefied petroleum gas and humidity sensing properties of NiO nanoparticles

This research deals with study of enhanced liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and humidity sensing properties of Sn-doped NiO pellets synthesized by chemical precipitation route. XRD, FTIR, SEM, and UV–Vis studies were employed to understand the effect of Sn doping on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the NiO nanoparticles. XRD results revealed that doping of tin in NiO had a significant impact on the crystallite size, peak intensity, strain, lattice parameter, etc. The calculated crystallite size of pure and 3 mol% doped NiO was 33.2 nm and 13.3 nm, respectively. SEM micrographs revealed that the structure of the samples was irregular spheres and non-homogeneous. The dependence of LPG sensing properties on the structural and surface morphological properties has also been studied. The maximum response of 30.46% to 2.0 vol% of LPG was observed at room temperature (300 K). The same sample also shows high humidity sensing response of 87.11% towards 90% RH.Graphic abstract

Effect of Extrusion Temperature and Feed Moisture Content on the Microstructural Properties of Rice-Flour Pellets and Their Impact on the Expanded Product

Extrusion can lead to an expanded product or to a slightly expanded pellet, known as a third-generation (3G) snack. In this case, expansion occurs subsequently, in an independent thermal device (e.g., oven), out of the extruded pellet. During both processes, several structural changes occur which are linked to processing conditions, including cooking temperature, screw speed, formulation, and initial moisture content. However, a clear relationship between processing variables and the structure of pellets and expanded products has not yet been identified. Accordingly, this work aimed to study the effect of extrusion temperature (110, 135, and 150 °C) and moisture content (27, 29, and 31%) in rice-flour pellets and their microwave expansion, through a microstructural approach using micro-CT. The results showed that the lowest moisture content (27%) and the highest extrusion temperature (150 °C) led to the highest pellet volume and the highest wall thickness, which in turn led to the highest expansion after microwave heating (50 s, 800 W). Interestingly, no significant differences were observed when analyzing the ratio between the volume of the expanded products and the volume of the pellet (~2.4) when using the different processing conditions.

Development of process for reduction in fines generation at direct reduced iron plant by coating of magnetite iron ore fines on hematite iron ore pellets

Iron ore pellet fines generation at direct reduced iron (DRI) plant is ranging from 10 to 12% during handling of the pellets from pellet plant to DRI plant. The generation of fines during handling depends on the quality of the produced pellets, mainly due to the abrasion index (AI) of the pellet. To reduce the generation of pellet fines, detailed laboratory studies have been carried out by coating the hematite iron ore pellet surface with magnetite fines generated from reduction roasting plant, and mixed magnetite fines with limestone fines. The coated green pellets were fired in a rising hearth furnace. The magnetite fines were varied from 0 to 2.5% as coating agent, and limestone fines was varied from 0 to 0.6% as coating agent mixed with magnetite fines. At optimum 1.5% magnetite fines as coating agent achieved better pellet properties and reduced the fines generation from 6.8 to 3.2% due to formation of secondary hematite phases at the pellet shell. With mixed 0.2% limestone and 1.5% magnetite fines reduced pellet fines generation from 6.8 to 4.2%. Reduction in fines generation with mixed fines was due to formation of secondary hematite and Ca-ferrite at the pellet surface. Secondary hematite and Ca ferrite phases having higher micro-hardness compared to other phases of iron ore pellet. The sequence of micro-hardness of the pellet phases is secondary hematite &gt; Ca-ferrite &gt; primary hematite &gt; magnetite. The secondary hematite and Ca-ferrite formed at the pellet surface due to coating of magnetite as well as magnetite with limestone fines improved the overall pellet quality and reduced the generation of fines at DRI plant. Coating of magnetite fines alone showed better pellet properties with lesser fines generation compared to coating of mixed limestone and magnetite fines.

On the Interfacial Properties of the Garnet-Type Electrolyte Ceramic Pellets of Cubic Li6.4la3zr1.4ta0.6o12: A Comprehensive Promotion Mechanism by the Sintering Additive of Li-Ion Conducting Licl

On the Interfacial Properties of the Garnet-Type Electrolyte Ceramic Pellets of Cubic Li6.4la3zr1.4ta0.6o12: A Comprehensive Promotion Mechanism by the Sintering Additive of Li-Ion Conducting Licl

РАЗРАБОТКА ЦЕНТРОБЕЖНОГО РАБОЧЕГО ОРГАНА РАЗБРАСЫВАТЕЛЯ МИНЕРАЛЬНЫХ УДОБРЕНИЙ

In variable-rate application of solid mineral fertilizers (SMF), working units of centrifugal fertilizer distributors can regulate precisely the application rate and evenly distribute pellets over the fi eld. To determine the most rational parameters and modes of a solid fertilizer distributor, infl uencing the fl ight path of pellets and the uniformity of their distribution over the fi eld, the authors carried out theoretical and experimental research of a centrifugal disc of a solid fertilizer distributor equipped with a rotary acceleration chamber and a set of exchangeable U-shaped blades. The authors describe the infl uence of the blade length on the trajectory and the fl ight distance of the fertilizer pellets as well as the infl uence of the rotation of the dispersal chamber outlet window on the fertilizer distribution pattern. The experiment on determining aerodynamic properties of the nitroammonium phosphate pellets (60:60:60) was carried out using the developed laboratory bench of the solid fertilizer distributor. The experiment allowed determining the physical parameters of pellets infl uencing the range and trajectory of their fl ight - the winglet ratio and the critical speed. It was found that the rotation displacement of the dispersal chamber outlet window of the spreading disc leads to the displacement of the intensive coverage zone in the direction of the window rotation. This makes it possible to regulate the intensity and has a direct impact on the distribution zone of solid mineral fertilizers. The paper justifi es the most rational design of the spreading disc. The research proved that the greatest uniformity of solid mineral fertilizer spreading is observed when using a disk with eight paired coaxially located blades with a length of 300, 250, 200, and 100 mm.

Integration of torrefaction and in-situ pelletization for biodried products derived from municipal organic wastes: The influences of temperature on fuel properties and combustion behaviours

Biodried products (BPs), derived from municipal organic wastes (MOWs), are generally accepted as carbon-neutral and renewable energy sources. To upgrade their combustion utilization as solid fuels, pelletization subsequent to torrefaction was conducted for BPs by activating the inherent binders using in-situ heat. In this study, the effects of temperature on the fuel properties and combustion characteristics of torrefied BP (TBP) pellets were comprehensively investigated. The results indicated that torrefaction promoted the emissions of O-containing volatiles, including CO2, CO, water and some tar (acids, esters, phenols, etc.), and dehydration might be dominant with higher ratios of deoxygenation and dehydrogenation. High torrefaction temperatures improved the energy densities (1.03–1.27) of TBPs, but decreased the energy yields (99.61%–68.46%). Meanwhile, high temperatures (above 200 °C) for pelletization facilitated the porosity structures and energy consumption of TBP pellets, which also upgraded the pellet properties, especially for TBP250, which exhibited a low wettability index (5.08%), high hardness (10.89 N/mm2) and durability (>96%). Moreover, the TBP pellets were found to retard moisture absorption and volume expansion significantly. In addition, torrefaction enhanced the decomposition of residual lignocellulose and char during the combustion of TBPs. Compared with lignite, TBPs were more flammable with a lower average activation energy. The integration of torrefaction and pelletization effectively decreased the emissions of CO, NO and SO2 during combustion of TBP pellets, and the combustion slags also exhibited favourable potentials for soil regulation. By integrating torrefaction with in-situ pelletization for BP pretreatment, this study provided an efficient alternative for MOW management.

Determination of fuel properties of pellets obtained from the stalks of some sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] cultivars grown as a second crop under Şanlıurfa conditions

Amaç: Ülkemizde yetiştiriciliği yapılmayan fakat ülkemizin ekolojik koşullarına uyum sağlayabileceği düşünülen alternatif enerji bitkilerinin de üretim desenine alınmasıdır. Temelde bir şeker bitkisi olmasının yanında gıda, yem, lif, enerji, biyoyakıt olarak geniş bir kullanım alanına tatlı sorgum bitkisinin, yüksek şeker oranına sahip özsuyundan biyoetanol ve özsuyu alındıktan sonra kalan posa kısmı ise katı biyoyakıt üretiminde değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır.Yöntem ve Bulgular: Şanlıurfa ekolojik şartlarında 2016 ve 2017 yıllarında ikinci ürün olarak yürütülen bu çalışmada altı tatlı sorgum (Dale, M81-E, PHS 12-10, Urja, Top 76-6, Theis) çeşidi kullanılmıştır. Bu çeşitlerin özsuyu alınan saplarından pelet üretimi yapılmış ve kalite özellikleri (ısıl değer (kcal kg-1), nem miktarı (%), kül miktarı (%), pelet dayanıklılık direnci (%), nem alma direnci (%), pelet sertliği (N), elementel analiz değerleri (%) ve pelet yığın yoğunluğu (kg m-3)) incelenmiştir.Genel Yorum: Suyu alınmış tatlı sorgum posasından herhangi bir yapıştırıcıya gerek kalmadan katı biyoyakıt (pelet) üretimi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmada elde edilen peletlerde en yüksek üst ısıl değer Theis (4412-4364 kcal kg-1) çeşidinden, en düşük üst ısıl değer ise PHS 12-10 (4226 kcal kg-1) ve Urja (4287 kcal kg-1) çeşitlerinden elde edilmiştir.Çalışmanın Önemi ve Etkisi: Çalışma sonucunda incelenen bu çeşitlerin saplarından elde edilen peletlerin, standartlara uygun oldukları belirlenmiştir. Tatlı sorgum saplarından elde edilen bu peletlerin, kömürün kullanıldığı her yerde alternatif yakıt olarak rahatlıkla kullanılabileceği görülmüştür. Ülkemizde oldukça bol miktarda bulunan, düzenli kullanım ve değerlendirme imkânı olmadığı için problem oluşturan tarımsal artıklar, modern yakıt, pelet, haline getirilerek hem ülke ekonomisine kazandırılabilir hem de çevre kirliliğine çözüm getirilebilir.

Thermoelectric properties of hot-pressed pellets of Al and Ti co-doped calcium cobalt oxides (Ca(3-x)AlxCo(4-y)TiyO9+δ)

Thermoelectric properties of hot-pressed pellets of Al and Ti co-doped calcium cobalt oxides (Ca(3-x)AlxCo(4-y)TiyO9+δ)

Development of stable agar/carrageenan-Fe3O4-Klebsiella pneumoniae composite beads for efficient phenol degradation

It's of practical importance but highly challenging for cell immobilization supports to maintain mechanical strength and reduce microbial leakage in environmental and industrial applications. Herein, we developed an agar/κ-carrageenan composite hydrogel to entrap Klebsiella pneumoniae with the combination of nano-Fe3O4 for processing phenol wastes. The agar/carrageenan-K. pneumoniae composite bead showed good pelletizing properties, superior material strength and high cell loading. Introduction of nano-Fe3O4 to the composite gel further enhanced phenol degradation rate by >10% owing to strengthened phenol oxidation by Fe3O4-induced hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and improved mass and electron transfers. 50 successive cycles of degradation and recycling using the agar/carrageenan-K. pneumoniae composite bead showed that 1500 mg/L phenol was fully degraded for all cycles with the highest rate of 55.12 mg L−1·h−1 obtained at the 15th cycles. The improved stability and recyclability render the as-prepared immobilized phenol-degrading bacteria with great potential for industrial applications.

Effect of in-situ torrefaction and densification on the properties of pellets from rice husk and rice straw

The research on preparing high-quality pellets by combining torrefaction and densification of biomass has received widespread attention. This paper investigated the influence of torrefaction temperature on biomass and evaluated the quality of three kinds of pellets (raw pellets, ex-situ torrefied densified pellets and in-situ torrefied densified pellets). When the torrefaction temperature was raised to 300 °C, the energy yield of rice straw (RS) and rice husk (RH) quickly decreased to 71.08% and 77.62%, and the cellulose was decomposed significantly. The results proved that 250 °C was an optimum temperature for RS and RH torrefaction. The densities of RS and RH in-situ torrefied densified pellets were 1236.84 kg/m3 and 1277.50 kg/m3 under 150 MPa, respectively. The density, Meyer hardness, hydrophobicity, and mechanical specific energy consumption of the pellet increased with the increase of molding pressure. The in-situ pellets had higher Meyer hardness, hydrophobicity, and lower mechanical specific energy consumption under the same molding pressure than raw pellets and ex-situ torrefied densified pellets. In addition, the bonding mechanism was studied by using scanning electron microscopy and ultraviolet auto-fluorescence. In-situ torrefaction and densification facilitated the formation of self-locking and the migration of lignin between particles. Compared with RH pellets, RS pellets had higher quality due to the higher hemicellulose content, which was necessary for forming stable hydrogen bonds.

The Function of Organic Additives in Enhancing the Q-values for Peat Pellet Biofuel

In Malaysia, peat make up for around 7.5 % of the entire land area. The positive effect of the vast wet organic compounds accumulates over a long time has stored high content of soil’s carbon which are highly useful as fuel and biomass energy generation. Thus, this study gives an outline of peat pellet as potential biofuel energy. The peat pellets were soaked into several kinds of flammable additives such as petrol, kerosene and diesel. The percentages of 69.41 % of carbon, 28.73% of oxygen and 0.97% of silicon were obtained using Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). The Fourier-Transformed Infrared (FTIR)- Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Spectroscopy was used to identify the sample. From the spectra, it reveals that most of the additives contribute mainly functional groups with hydroxyl, alcohol and phenol groups were found leading to higher boiling and melting points. The heat combustion properties of peat pellets were evaluated using a calorimeter technique by boiling off 50 ml and 100 ml of water. The pellet with diesel has the highest Q-values and combustion rate due to larger number of carbons in rigid molecular structure. The high amount of unique chemical compound found naturally in diesel known as cetane, ignites effortlessly when heated gives diesel additional advantages in shorter ignition delays as well as longer duration of combustion.

Applicability of image analysis to support QbD driven development of pellets

Objective The stages of preparing high drug loaded pellets were investigated using static and dynamic imaging techniques to provide a greater understanding and ease the scale up process. Significance An example of a real case laboratory and production scale quality by design (QbD) based development of pellets is demonstrated. Potential process analytical technology (PAT) approaches by dynamic image analysis (DIA) are presented in various process phases. Methods Pellets were prepared at laboratory and production scale (high shear granulation, extrusion/spheronization, drying, and coating). The influence of process parameters on pellet properties (aspect ratio (AR), yield, pellet size, and their distribution) was investigated using static and DIA. During coating, we focused on the coating thickness and identification of potential agglomeration. Results and conclusion The effects of kneading time, amount of water, extrusion screen plate (ESP) opening diameter and thickness on pellet properties were confirmed in accordance with literature. In terms of screw speed, spheronization speed and time, no considerable influence on pellet properties was observed in the range of studied process parameters, thereby confirming the design space. In addition to the ESP thickness and opening diameter, quality of the ESP impacts the pellet properties. Lastly, coating thickness measurements with dynamic and static image analysis were comparable and an exemplary case of in-line agglomeration detection was presented. Real-time evaluation with PATVIS APA is an effective PAT tool for the evaluation of spheronization (pellet size distribution, AR, and yield) and coating (coating thickness, agglomeration detection).

Design of Experiment Approach to Assess the Effect of Formulation Variables on Extrusion and Spheronization of Telmisartan and Cilostazol Loaded Pellets and its Pharmacokinetic Study

Background: Solubility is an important parameter that affects the availability of drug in systemic circulation. Drugs having poor solubility belonging to BCS class II eventually result in lower dissolution and bioavailability. Hence, improvement of solubility is a challenging task. Hence the present work focuses on using solid dispersion and inclusion complex approach for both telmisartan and cilostazol belonging to BCS Class II drugs. Objective: The present study was carried out to improve apparent solubility of telmisartan and cilostazol (BCS-Class II drugs) and optimization as pellets along with its pharmacokinetic study. Methods: Phase solubility study was carried out to screen the excipients such as, PVPK30, PVA, HPMC E5 and β-CD. Solvent evaporation method was adopted to prepare the solid dispersions and inclusion complex of both drugs. Pellets were optimized by extrusion spheronization method using 32 factorial design and characterized by morphology, drug content, DSC, FTIR, XRD, SEM, in- -vitro studies and drug content study. Results: Phase solubility study showed improved apparent solubility of telmisartan with HPMC E5 (1:3) by solid dispersion and cilostazol with β-CD (1:3) using inclusion complexation method. Drug characterization did not reveal any incompatibility. Formulation was optimized on the basis of acceptable pellet properties, including acceptable spherical shape and micromeritics properties. The percent friability of all batches was found to be less than 1%. The optimized pellets of both drugs prepared with micro crystalline cellulose provided desirable maximum release with acceptable release profile. Conclusion: The formulated pellets when studied in vivo showed superior pharmacokinetic profile. The drawback associated with apparent solubility and bioavailability of both drugs can thus be alleviated by use of novel pellet formulation.

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Khaya senegalensis Solid Fuel Pellet with Different Binder Percentages

The characteristics of the solid fuel pellets, such as its strength, durability and density can be used to assess its quality. During the transport and storage, pellets with low strength and durability produces dusts and ultimately resulting in equipment blockage, high pollution emissions, and an increased risk of fire and explosion. Therefore, pellet manufacturing process should be given priority to improve pellet quality. The use of binder in the production of pellets will aid in improving pellet quality. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of different binder percentages on the mechanical properties of K. senegelensis fuel pellets. Durability, unit density, bulk density and diametral compressive strength testing were carried out in compliance with international standards. It was discovered that pellets containing 4% cassava starch binder produces better results, particularly in terms of durability and compressive ldiametral strength.

Torrefaction and Pelleting of Wheat and Barley Straw for Biofuel and Energy Applications

Microwave (MW)-assisted torrefaction and pelleting could enhance biomass fuel properties and energy applications. Plastic wastes are considered as a replacement source binder in pellets to minimize their effect on the environment as pollutants. High-density polyethylene (HDPE), an extractable plastic from recycling waste, was investigated as a binder for torrefied wheat and barley straw pellets. Fuel pellet characteristics, such as durability, density, tensile strength, and water absorption, were used to evaluate the pellets produced from a single pelleting test. The results showed that the addition of HDPE as a binder significantly increased the pellet quality in terms of density (686.12–982.93 kg/m3), tensile strength (3.68 and 4.53 MPa) for wheat and barley straw, and reduced ash content of the pellet from 10.34 to 4.59% for barley straw pellet and 10.66 to 3.88% for wheat straw pellets. The higher heating value (HHV) increased with increasing biochar mix and HDPE binder blend. The highest HHV value observed for barley straw was 28.34 MJ/kg, while wheat straw was 29.78 MJ/kg. The study further indicated that MW torrefaction of biomass-biochar mix with HDPE binder reduced the moisture adsorption of wheat and barley straw pellets, which can significantly improve their storage capability in humid locations. The moisture uptake ratio for MW-torrefied barley straw pellets was 0.10–0.25 and wheat straw pellets 0.11–0.25 against a moisture uptake ratio of 1.0 for untreated biomass. MW torrefaction of wheat and barley straw with biochar and HDPE binder addition during pelleting is a promising technique to improve biomass fuel pellet properties.