Title: Attempt on improving property of highly-densified biomass resources for renewable energy

Authors: Norio Matsuura; Masashi Narita; Tsunehisa Miki; Kozo Kanayama; Norio Takakura

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and System Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical and System Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan ' National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2266-98, Anagahora, Shimoshidami, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya 463-8560, Japan. ' National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2266-98, Anagahora, Shimoshidami, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya 463-8560, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical and System Engineering, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan

Abstract: To develop improved physical and calorific properties of highly-densified plant biomass resources, a new hot-pressing process was invented, in which biomass resources are subject to hot-compaction accompanied with flow deformation in a closed container, and the effects of compressing and temperature conditions for various plant-biomasses on the bulk density, size-stability and the calorific value were investigated. Results showed that the compactability of the biomasses was improved with increasing moisture contents and heat-holding time, and highly-densified products with the bulk density of roughly 1.35 g/cm³ were obtained from all plant-biomasses. In addition, the products from cedar wood chip at specific temperature and pressure conditions got improved size-stability against moisture, and they kept their shapes even in boiling water. The calorific value of the products showed about 6,000 cal/cm³, which is around 60% of the coal. Therefore, some advantages of these highly-densified biomasses for energy use compared with existing solidified products were confirmed.

Keywords: biomass resources; renewable energy; highly-densified fuel; size-stability; calorific value; hot pressing; hot compaction; flow deformation; compression; temperature; plant biomass; bulk density; cedar wood chips.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2012.050697

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2012 Vol.45 No.2/3, pp.93 - 97

Published online: 01 Dec 2012 *

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