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Fuel Pellets from Wheat Straw: The Effect of Lignin Glass Transition and Surface Waxes on Pelletizing Properties

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Abstract

The utilization of wheat straw as a renewable energy resource is limited due to its low bulk density. Pelletizing wheat straw into fuel pellets of high density increases its handling properties but is more challenging compared to pelletizing woody biomass. Straw has a lower lignin content and a high concentration of hydrophobic waxes on its outer surface that may limit the pellet strength. The present work studies the impact of the lignin glass transition on the pelletizing properties of wheat straw. Furthermore, the effect of surface waxes on the pelletizing process and pellet strength are investigated by comparing wheat straw before and after organic solvent extraction. The lignin glass transition temperature for wheat straw and extracted wheat straw is determined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. At a moisture content of 8%, transitions are identified at 53°C and 63°C, respectively. Pellets are pressed from wheat straw and straw where the waxes have been extracted from. Two pelletizing temperatures were chosen—one below and one above the glass transition temperature of lignin. The pellets compression strength, density, and fracture surface were compared to each other. Pellets pressed at 30°C have a lower density and compression strength and a tendency to expand in length after the pelletizing process compared to pellets pressed at 100°C. At low temperatures, surface extractives have a lubricating effect and reduce the friction in the press channel of a pellet mill while no such effect is observed at elevated temperatures. Fuel pellets made from extracted wheat straw have a slightly higher compression strength which might be explained by a better interparticle adhesion in the absence of hydrophobic surface waxes.

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Acknowledgments

The present study was conducted under the framework of the Danish Energy Agency’s EFP project: “Advanced understanding of biomass pelletization” ENS-33033-0227. The authors wish to thank Vattenfall Nordic A/S, DONG Energy A/S and the Danish Energy Agency for project funding. The USDA-Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin is thanked for its hospitality and the provision of laboratory space and equipment for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biosystems Department, Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, Technical University of Denmark, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Wolfgang Stelte, Jesper Ahrenfeldt & Ulrik B. Henriksen

  2. Forest Products Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, One Gifford Pinchot Dr, Madison, WI, 53726-2398, USA

    Craig Clemons

  3. Chemical Engineering, DONG Energy Power A/S, Nesa Alle 1, DK-2820, Gentofte, Denmark

    Jens K. Holm

  4. Biomass and Ecosystem Science, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, DK-1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Anand R. Sanadi

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Stelte
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  2. Craig Clemons
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  3. Jens K. Holm
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  4. Jesper Ahrenfeldt
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  5. Ulrik B. Henriksen
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  6. Anand R. Sanadi
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Stelte.

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Stelte, W., Clemons, C., Holm, J.K. et al. Fuel Pellets from Wheat Straw: The Effect of Lignin Glass Transition and Surface Waxes on Pelletizing Properties. Bioenerg. Res. 5, 450–458 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-011-9169-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-011-9169-8

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