Heating briquettes from energy crops

Abstract

The aim of this research is to find and to evaluate energy crops with respect to their compactibility. It resulted in an evaluation of mechanical properties of seven crop species and in findings concerning mechanical parameters that exert influence on the compacting process. The evaluated mechanical properties cover the briquette density and the force required to break the briquettes. Following energy crops were studied: Sorghum vulgare, Phalaroides arundinacea, Crambe abyssinica, Fectusa pragensia, Camelina sativa, Miscanthus sinensis, Carthamus tinctorius. Before compression these crops were disintegrated in a grinder. The fraction size was given by the sieve mesh size - viz. a circular cross section of a 15 mm diameter. All crops had an unchanged moisture content during the measurement and a uniform output diameter of the briquette of about 65 mm. The crops showed following moisture contents in the experiments: Sorghum vulgare = 10.95%, Phalaroides arundinacea = 11.40%, Crambe abyssinica = 15.97%, Fectusa pragensia = 10.66%, Camelina sativa = 15.37%, Miscanthus sinensis = 9.97%, Carthamus tinctorius = 15.54%.

Keywords

• phytomass
• energy crops
• briquetting
• mechanical properties
• fissure test