Biomass Densification to Improve Management Efficiency and to Obtain High Value Products in México
Rigoberto Rosales-Serna,
Artemio Carrillo-Parra,
Julio César Ríos-Saucedo,
Damián Reyes-Jáquez,
Donaji Sierra-Zurita,
Saúl Santana-Espinoza,
Rafael Jiménez-Ocampo,
Pablo Alfredo Domínguez-Martínez,
Cynthia Adriana Nava-Berumen
Affiliations
Rigoberto Rosales-Serna
Campo Experimental Valle del Guadiana, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Carretera Durango—El Mezquital km 4.5, Durango 34170, Mexico
Artemio Carrillo-Parra
Instituto de Silvicultura e Industria de la Madera (ISIMA), Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Boulevard del Guadiana Núm. 501, Colonia Torre de Institutos, Durango 34120, Mexico
Julio César Ríos-Saucedo
Campo Experimental Valle del Guadiana, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Carretera Durango—El Mezquital km 4.5, Durango 34170, Mexico
Damián Reyes-Jáquez
Posgrado en Ingeniería Bioquímica-Instituto Tecnológico de Durango-TecNM, Felipe Pescador 1803, Col. Nueva Vizcaya, Durango 34080, Mexico
Donaji Sierra-Zurita
Campo Experimental Valle del Guadiana, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Carretera Durango—El Mezquital km 4.5, Durango 34170, Mexico
Saúl Santana-Espinoza
Campo Experimental La Laguna, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Boulevard José Santos Valdéz 1200, Matamoros 27440, Mexico
Rafael Jiménez-Ocampo
Campo Experimental Valle del Guadiana, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Carretera Durango—El Mezquital km 4.5, Durango 34170, Mexico
Pablo Alfredo Domínguez-Martínez
Campo Experimental Valle del Guadiana, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Carretera Durango—El Mezquital km 4.5, Durango 34170, Mexico
Cynthia Adriana Nava-Berumen
Instituto de Silvicultura e Industria de la Madera (ISIMA), Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango (UJED), Boulevard del Guadiana Núm. 501, Colonia Torre de Institutos, Durango 34120, Mexico
In México, the utilization of fast-growing plant species for biomass production presents transportation-related issues such as freshness reduction, the transportation of large volumes with minimal weight due to low density, limited storage availability, and logistical challenges. To enhance understanding in this field, the research aimed to evaluate the densification potential of a variety of organic materials, with a specific emphasis on the biomass derived from eight species of rapidly growing plants, three animal species’ manure, and concentrated feed. After conditioning, 100 g samples underwent particle size analysis and were categorized into seven sizes. Pellets and briquettes (40 g, 10% moisture, 15 MPa pressure, 5 min processing, 80 °C temperature) were produced and evaluated for bulk density (BD) and pellet (PD) and briquette durability (BDU). The predominant particle sizes were 0.850 mm and 0.425 mm. Original biomass bulk density (OBBD) varied notably, with ovine manure (0.50 g cm−3) and cattle feed (0.49 g cm−3) exhibiting the highest values. Caprine manure (0.83 g cm−3) and ovine manure (0.78 g cm−3) yielded the densest pellets at 1.76 and 1.84 g cm−3, respectively. Apple tree pellets achieved premium quality with the highest hardness (97.9%). Cattle manure (1.25 g cm−3) and cattle feed (1.25 g cm−3) had the densest briquettes, with notable BBD/OBBD ratios in pine sawdust (4.6) and corn (4.5). Caprine manure and Acacia biomass briquettes showed premium quality with the highest hardness (99.1%), emphasizing densification variations and the need for tailored approaches based on organic material characteristics.
