Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber
Camelina straw and switchgrass are herbaceous biomass feedstock for biofuel production, and they can be produced in large quantities in North America. The current study investigated the pelleting of optimized microwave torrefied camelina straw and switchgrass with and without biochar and high-densit...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Results in Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025002695 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832582121567289344 |
|---|---|
| author | Obiora S. Agu Lope G. Tabil Edmund Mupondwa Bagher Emadi Duncan Cree |
| author_facet | Obiora S. Agu Lope G. Tabil Edmund Mupondwa Bagher Emadi Duncan Cree |
| author_sort | Obiora S. Agu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Camelina straw and switchgrass are herbaceous biomass feedstock for biofuel production, and they can be produced in large quantities in North America. The current study investigated the pelleting of optimized microwave torrefied camelina straw and switchgrass with and without biochar and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as a binder during densification. The primary research focused on the influence of the binder levels (0, 10, and 25 wt.%) added to the torrefied biomass on pellet quality. The addition of 25 wt.% HDPE significantly improved pellet characteristics, such as pellet density, dimensional stability, tensile strength, durability, and the effects of interparticle interaction on pellet properties. The pelleting conditions were optimized and validated using the torrefaction treatment conditions: microwave power 520 W, biochar 20 wt.%, residence time of 20 min, and binder level of 25 wt.% HDPE. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the pellet ash revealed that adding HDPE increased the carbon and decreased the oxygen contents. Thus, the oxygen/carbon ratio had similarities to ash from the XPS and elemental analysis results and exhibited uniform chemical properties between the ash surface and torrefied yield fraction ash. The torrefied camelina straw and switchgrass with and without biochar/HDPE pellet ash characteristics indicated a strong potential for using these herbaceous biomass for heat production and electricity generation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c0ec6782839e43e6bb56618b2e6f200d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2590-1230 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Results in Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-c0ec6782839e43e6bb56618b2e6f200d2025-01-30T05:14:53ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-03-0125104183Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorberObiora S. Agu0Lope G. Tabil1Edmund Mupondwa2Bagher Emadi3Duncan Cree4Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; Corresponding authors.Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; Corresponding authors.Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; Bioproducts and Bioprocesses, Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Government of Canada, Saskatoon Research and Development Center, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0 × 2, CanadaDepartment of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, CanadaCamelina straw and switchgrass are herbaceous biomass feedstock for biofuel production, and they can be produced in large quantities in North America. The current study investigated the pelleting of optimized microwave torrefied camelina straw and switchgrass with and without biochar and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as a binder during densification. The primary research focused on the influence of the binder levels (0, 10, and 25 wt.%) added to the torrefied biomass on pellet quality. The addition of 25 wt.% HDPE significantly improved pellet characteristics, such as pellet density, dimensional stability, tensile strength, durability, and the effects of interparticle interaction on pellet properties. The pelleting conditions were optimized and validated using the torrefaction treatment conditions: microwave power 520 W, biochar 20 wt.%, residence time of 20 min, and binder level of 25 wt.% HDPE. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the pellet ash revealed that adding HDPE increased the carbon and decreased the oxygen contents. Thus, the oxygen/carbon ratio had similarities to ash from the XPS and elemental analysis results and exhibited uniform chemical properties between the ash surface and torrefied yield fraction ash. The torrefied camelina straw and switchgrass with and without biochar/HDPE pellet ash characteristics indicated a strong potential for using these herbaceous biomass for heat production and electricity generation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025002695DensificationCamelina straw and switchgrassMicrowave torrefactionBinder |
| spellingShingle | Obiora S. Agu Lope G. Tabil Edmund Mupondwa Bagher Emadi Duncan Cree Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber Results in Engineering Densification Camelina straw and switchgrass Microwave torrefaction Binder |
| title | Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber |
| title_full | Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber |
| title_fullStr | Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber |
| title_short | Pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber |
| title_sort | pelletization and quality evaluation of torrefied selected biomass with microwave absorber |
| topic | Densification Camelina straw and switchgrass Microwave torrefaction Binder |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025002695 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT obiorasagu pelletizationandqualityevaluationoftorrefiedselectedbiomasswithmicrowaveabsorber AT lopegtabil pelletizationandqualityevaluationoftorrefiedselectedbiomasswithmicrowaveabsorber AT edmundmupondwa pelletizationandqualityevaluationoftorrefiedselectedbiomasswithmicrowaveabsorber AT bagheremadi pelletizationandqualityevaluationoftorrefiedselectedbiomasswithmicrowaveabsorber AT duncancree pelletizationandqualityevaluationoftorrefiedselectedbiomasswithmicrowaveabsorber |