Effects of Initial Moisture Content on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Norway Spruce Briquettes
The moisture content of densified biomass is a
limiting parameter influencing the quality of this solid biofuel. It
influences its calorific value, density, mechanical strength and
dimensional stability as well as affecting its production process. This
paper deals with experimental research into the effect of moisture
content of the densified material on the final quality of biofuel in the
form of logs (briquettes or pellets). Experiments based on the singleaxis
densification of the spruce sawdust were carried out with a
hydraulic piston press (piston and die), where the densified logs were
produced at room temperature. The effect of moisture content on the
qualitative properties of the logs, including density, change of
moisture, expansion and physical changes, and compressive and
impact resistance were studied. The results show the moisture ranges
required for producing good-quality logs. The experiments were
evaluated and the moisture content of the tested material was
optimized to achieve the optimum value for the best quality of the
solid biofuel. The dense logs also have high-energy content per unit
volume. The research results could be used to develop and optimize
industrial technologies and machinery for biomass densification to
achieve high quality solid biofuel.
[1] Li Y, Liu H. High-pressure densification of wood residues to form an
upgraded fuel. Biomass and Bioenergy 2000; 19: 177–86.
[2] Holm JK, Henriksen UB, Hustad JE, Sørensen LK. Toward an
understanding of controlling parameters in softwood and hardwood
pellets production. Energy Fuels 2006; 20: 2686-94.
[3] Pietsch W. Agglomeration processes – phenomena, technologies,
equipment. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH; 2002.
[4] Rumpf H. The strength of granules and agglomeration. In: Knepper WA,
editor. Agglomeration. New York: John Wiley; 1962. p. 379–418.
[5] Kaliyan N, Morey RV. Factors affecting strength and durability of
densified biomass products. Biomass and Bioenergy 2009; 33: 337-59.
[6] Kaliyan N, Morey RV. Densification of Biomass: Mechanisms, Models,
and Experiments on Briquetting and Pelleting of Biomass. Saarbrucken:
VDm Verlag Dr. Muller; 2008.
[7] Tumuluru et. al. A Review on Biomass Densification Technologies for
energy Application. INL, Idaho, 2010.
[8] Grover, P. D., Mishra, S. K. Biomass Briquetting: Technology and
Practices. Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia,
Field Document No. 46. Bangkok, Thailand: Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations; 1996.
[9] Mani, S., L. G. Tabil, Sokhansanj, S. Specific Energy Requirement for
Compacting Corn Stover. Bioresource Technology 2006; 97: 1420–26.
[10] Tumuluru, J. S. et al. Quality of Wood Pellets Produced in British
Columbia. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 2010; 26(6): 1013–1020.
[11] Thomas, M., D. J. van Zuilichem, and A. F. B. van der Poel. Quality of
Pelleted Animal Feed 2. - Contribution of Processes and its Conditions.
Animal Feed Science Technology 1997; 64: 173–192.
[12] Demirbas, A., Şahin-Demirbaş, A., Hilal Demirbaş, A. Briquetting
Properties of Biomass Waste Materials. Energy Sources 2004; 26: 83–
91.
[13] Moshenin, N., Zaske J. Stress Relaxation and Energy Requirements in
Compaction of Unconsolidated Materials. Journal of Agricultural
Engineering Research 1976; 21: 193–205. [14] Sokhansanj, S., S. Mani, X. Bi, Zaini, P., Tabil, L. Binderless
Pelletization of Biomass. Presented at the ASAE Annual International
Meeting, Tampa, FL, ASAE Paper No. 056061. ASAE, 2950 Niles
Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA, July 17–20, 2005.
[15] Haussmann, F. 1975. Briquetting wood waste by the Fred Haussmann
method. Institute of Briquetting and Agglomeration Proceedings 1975;
14: 75-90.
[16] Rhén, C. et al. Effects of raw material moisture content, densification
pressure and temperature on some properties of Norway spruce pellets.
Fuel Processing Technology 2005; 87: 11– 16.
[17] Samuelsson, R. et al. Moisture content and storage time influence the
binding mechanisms in biofuel wood pellets. Applied Energy 2012; 99:
109–115.
[18] Pietsch, W. Size enlargement by agglomeration. New York: John Willy
& Sons; 1991.
[19] EN 14774-3:2009, Solid biofuels–determination of moisture content–
oven dry method part 3: moisture in general analysis sample, European
Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium; 2009.
[20] EN 16127:2012, Solid biofuels - determination of length and diameter of
pellets, European Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium;
2012.
[21] ASTM. C39-96: Standard test method of compressive strength of
cylindrical concrete specimens. In: Annual book of ASTM Standards,
vol. 04.02. West Conshohocken, PA:American Society for Testing and
Materials; 1998. p. 17–21.
[22] ASTM D 440-86. Standard test method of drop shatter test for coal.
Annual book of ASTM Standards, vol. 05.05. West Conshohochen, PA:
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1998. p. 188–91.
[23] Richards SR. Physical testing of fuel briquettes. Fuel Processing
Technology 1990; 25: 89-100.
[24] Lindley JA, Vossoughi M. Physical properties of biomass briquettes.
Transactions of the ASAE 1989; 32: 361–6.
[25] Raghavan JK, Conkle HN. Physical characteristic measurements for
reconstituted coal pellets. Proceeding of the Institute for Briquetting and
Agglomeration (IBA) 1991;22:85–96.
[1] Li Y, Liu H. High-pressure densification of wood residues to form an
upgraded fuel. Biomass and Bioenergy 2000; 19: 177–86.
[2] Holm JK, Henriksen UB, Hustad JE, Sørensen LK. Toward an
understanding of controlling parameters in softwood and hardwood
pellets production. Energy Fuels 2006; 20: 2686-94.
[3] Pietsch W. Agglomeration processes – phenomena, technologies,
equipment. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH; 2002.
[4] Rumpf H. The strength of granules and agglomeration. In: Knepper WA,
editor. Agglomeration. New York: John Wiley; 1962. p. 379–418.
[5] Kaliyan N, Morey RV. Factors affecting strength and durability of
densified biomass products. Biomass and Bioenergy 2009; 33: 337-59.
[6] Kaliyan N, Morey RV. Densification of Biomass: Mechanisms, Models,
and Experiments on Briquetting and Pelleting of Biomass. Saarbrucken:
VDm Verlag Dr. Muller; 2008.
[7] Tumuluru et. al. A Review on Biomass Densification Technologies for
energy Application. INL, Idaho, 2010.
[8] Grover, P. D., Mishra, S. K. Biomass Briquetting: Technology and
Practices. Regional Wood Energy Development Programme in Asia,
Field Document No. 46. Bangkok, Thailand: Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations; 1996.
[9] Mani, S., L. G. Tabil, Sokhansanj, S. Specific Energy Requirement for
Compacting Corn Stover. Bioresource Technology 2006; 97: 1420–26.
[10] Tumuluru, J. S. et al. Quality of Wood Pellets Produced in British
Columbia. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 2010; 26(6): 1013–1020.
[11] Thomas, M., D. J. van Zuilichem, and A. F. B. van der Poel. Quality of
Pelleted Animal Feed 2. - Contribution of Processes and its Conditions.
Animal Feed Science Technology 1997; 64: 173–192.
[12] Demirbas, A., Şahin-Demirbaş, A., Hilal Demirbaş, A. Briquetting
Properties of Biomass Waste Materials. Energy Sources 2004; 26: 83–
91.
[13] Moshenin, N., Zaske J. Stress Relaxation and Energy Requirements in
Compaction of Unconsolidated Materials. Journal of Agricultural
Engineering Research 1976; 21: 193–205. [14] Sokhansanj, S., S. Mani, X. Bi, Zaini, P., Tabil, L. Binderless
Pelletization of Biomass. Presented at the ASAE Annual International
Meeting, Tampa, FL, ASAE Paper No. 056061. ASAE, 2950 Niles
Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA, July 17–20, 2005.
[15] Haussmann, F. 1975. Briquetting wood waste by the Fred Haussmann
method. Institute of Briquetting and Agglomeration Proceedings 1975;
14: 75-90.
[16] Rhén, C. et al. Effects of raw material moisture content, densification
pressure and temperature on some properties of Norway spruce pellets.
Fuel Processing Technology 2005; 87: 11– 16.
[17] Samuelsson, R. et al. Moisture content and storage time influence the
binding mechanisms in biofuel wood pellets. Applied Energy 2012; 99:
109–115.
[18] Pietsch, W. Size enlargement by agglomeration. New York: John Willy
& Sons; 1991.
[19] EN 14774-3:2009, Solid biofuels–determination of moisture content–
oven dry method part 3: moisture in general analysis sample, European
Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium; 2009.
[20] EN 16127:2012, Solid biofuels - determination of length and diameter of
pellets, European Committee for Standardization, Brussels, Belgium;
2012.
[21] ASTM. C39-96: Standard test method of compressive strength of
cylindrical concrete specimens. In: Annual book of ASTM Standards,
vol. 04.02. West Conshohocken, PA:American Society for Testing and
Materials; 1998. p. 17–21.
[22] ASTM D 440-86. Standard test method of drop shatter test for coal.
Annual book of ASTM Standards, vol. 05.05. West Conshohochen, PA:
American Society for Testing and Materials, 1998. p. 188–91.
[23] Richards SR. Physical testing of fuel briquettes. Fuel Processing
Technology 1990; 25: 89-100.
[24] Lindley JA, Vossoughi M. Physical properties of biomass briquettes.
Transactions of the ASAE 1989; 32: 361–6.
[25] Raghavan JK, Conkle HN. Physical characteristic measurements for
reconstituted coal pellets. Proceeding of the Institute for Briquetting and
Agglomeration (IBA) 1991;22:85–96.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:70945", author = "Miloš Matúš and Peter Križan and Ľubomír Šooš and Juraj Beniak", title = "Effects of Initial Moisture Content on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Norway Spruce Briquettes", abstract = "The moisture content of densified biomass is a
limiting parameter influencing the quality of this solid biofuel. It
influences its calorific value, density, mechanical strength and
dimensional stability as well as affecting its production process. This
paper deals with experimental research into the effect of moisture
content of the densified material on the final quality of biofuel in the
form of logs (briquettes or pellets). Experiments based on the singleaxis
densification of the spruce sawdust were carried out with a
hydraulic piston press (piston and die), where the densified logs were
produced at room temperature. The effect of moisture content on the
qualitative properties of the logs, including density, change of
moisture, expansion and physical changes, and compressive and
impact resistance were studied. The results show the moisture ranges
required for producing good-quality logs. The experiments were
evaluated and the moisture content of the tested material was
optimized to achieve the optimum value for the best quality of the
solid biofuel. The dense logs also have high-energy content per unit
volume. The research results could be used to develop and optimize
industrial technologies and machinery for biomass densification to
achieve high quality solid biofuel.", keywords = "Biomass, briquettes, densification, fuel quality,
moisture content, density.", volume = "9", number = "10", pages = "1219-7", }
