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Effect of moisture content, particle size and pine addition on quality parameters of
barley straw pellets
Clara Serrano a,, Esperanza Monedero a, Magn Lapuerta b, Henar Portero a
a
b
Parque Cientco y Tecnolgico de Albacete, Instituto de Investigacin en Energas Renovables, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete 02006, Spain
Escuela Tcnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real 13071, Spain
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Article history:
Received 23 June 2010
Received in revised form 22 October 2010
Accepted 29 November 2010
Available online 28 December 2010
Keywords:
Pellet mill
Barley straw
Blended pellets
Durability
Moisture content
a b s t r a c t
Agripellets from barley straw wastes have been produced in an annular die pellet mill. The semi-industrial
scale of the pilot plant allowed for measurement of the die temperature, and an accurate control of the straw
moisture at the die inlet. The pellet mechanical durability, density, length and moisture were evaluated for
pure straw and blended pellets, together with the heating value and the ash content. The composition of the
raw material barely changed with the compaction process. Optimum moisture contents for dense barley
straw pellets production proved to be in the range of 1923%. A durability value of 95.5% was reached under
these conditions, increasing to 9798% when small quantities of pine sawdust were added (2, 7, and 12 wt.% of
pine in straw). Agglomeration of the ground particles was improved by water and pine addition, while a
coarser grinding did not show any negative effect on barley straw compaction.
2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
The renewable energy policy framework in Europe [1] needs an
integrated perspective on the use of biomass in all three sectors:
electricity, heat and transport. To reach the 20% target in the use of
renewable energy by 2020, the use of domestic biomass should cover
most of its potential in the heating sector. For a better implementation
of biomass, the following targets are some of the key issues:
Assurance of supply and utilisation of biomass wastes available
Optimisation of technological processes for biomass pretreatment
and densication
Improving biomass pellets quality according to specic quality
standards.
The growing use of biomass boilers, both industrial and domestic,
has promoted an expansive market of solid biofuels. For the domestic
heating sector densied biomass in the form of pellets is commercialized following different quality requirements: DIN 51731 or
DINplus in Germany, NORM M7135 in Austria, SS 18 71 20 in
Sweden or CTI-R 04/5 in Italy, among others [2]. Only clean wood
pellets, made from stemwood or chemically untreated industrial
residues, accomplish with these high quality standards. But more
exible quality standards are demanded to solve the need of feedstock
supply in pellet production plants, especially in the Mediterranean
countries. Different pellet qualities are commercialized, for industrial
Corresponding author. Instituto de Investigacin en Energas Renovables, Calle de
la Investigacin s/n, Albacete 02006, Spain. Tel.: +34 967599200; fax: +34 967555321.
E-mail address: Clara.Serrano@uclm.es (C. Serrano).
0378-3820/$ see front matter 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.fuproc.2010.11.031
use and for small-scale consumers. Pellets for general use, made from
different raw materials, can be classied according to the EN 14961-1
standard [3]. For non-industrial use pellets, different quality classes
are established in prEN 14961-2 for woody pellets [4] and in
prEN14961-6 [5] for densied herbaceous biomass, fruit biomass
and biomass blends.
The homogeneity of pellets regarding size, water content and
particle density is of great relevance to achieve fully automatic
operation and complete combustion in automatic small-scale
furnaces. Less quality is demanded in large industrial furnaces due
to their higher robustness (that helps to prevent from damage caused
by corrosion and deposit formation), the ue gas cleaning systems
and the more sophisticated combustion control technology applied
for such plants [6].
It is only with high quality pellet or woodchip that automatic
small-scale furnaces can operate with high comfort for the end user
(low frequency of ash disposal) and without operative failures or
loose of power during a 20 year lifetime. Nowadays, boilers
manufacturers are trying to adjust and improve technology so that a
wider range of biomass wastes (agricultural, forestry and industrial)
can be used.
Herbaceous biomass pellets do not usually accomplish with the
standards demanded in the domestic heating sector (high ash,
potassium and chlorine contents), but mediumlarge scale boilers
have already been specically designed to be fueled with cereal
straws [7], since they are a profuse waste in agricultural countries [8].
Densication of straw, which is under the scope of the present work, is
of great importance to simplify handling, transport and storage
operations. The optimisation of variables affecting this process started
700
within the animal feeding stuff eld, and in the last ten years many
studies have been published in regard with densied biofuels quality.
Kaliyan and Morey [9] made a review about factors affecting
strength and durability of pellets. Factors related to the feedstock
(starch, protein, bre, fat, lignin and extractives, moisture content and
particle size), pre-conditioning processes (steam conditioning/preheating, and addition of binders), and densication equipment
(forming pressure, and pellet mill and roll press variables) would
affect the strength and durability of pellets. Also, post-production
conditions such as cooling/drying and high humidity storage conditions would inuence the strength and durability of the densied
products. With the help of heat, water induces a wide range of
physical and chemical changes such as thermal softening of biomass,
denaturation of proteins, gelatinisation of starch, and solubilisation
and consecutive recrystallisation of sugars and salts. The optimum
moisture content for biomass densication may range from 8% to 20%.
Based on SEM and UV auto-uorescence images of densied
biomass, Kaliyan and Morey [10] demonstrated how natural binders
(lignin, protein, starch and fat) can be activated (softened) under high
pressures in the presence of moisture and temperature in the range of
the glass transition temperature of the material. Hydrogen bonding at
lignin and cellulose surface areas is considered to be responsible for
the main type of bonding in the pressing operation of wood, while for
switchgrass and corn stover the solid bridges were made mainly by
lignin and protein. Angls et al. [11] found that it is the lignin coating
that confers external shine to pellets, and this could result in higher
water resistance, due to the hydrophobic nature of lignin.
The barley straw analyzed by Adapa et al. [12] showed a high
content of lignin (17.1% d.b., AOAC Standard method), protein (3.6%),
cellulose (32.3%) and hemicellulose (20.4%) and low content of other
natural binders like starch (0.1%) or fat (1.9%). Therefore, lignin and
protein could be the deciding components enhancing the binding
characteristics of this kind of herbaceous biomass. Protein plasticizes
under heat and acts as a binder, in turn increasing the strength of the
pelletized product.
Among the three wood structural biopolymers lignin, cellulose
and hemicelluloses lignin is one of the main natural binders and its
concentration can be up to two times higher in wood than in
herbaceous materials. The lignin content found in literature for each
biomass differs because the analytical method used is different, but it
ranges 510% in cereal straws and 1235% in wood. The Klason lignin
contents of barley straw and pine sawdust obtained by Kamstra et al.
[13], are 10.1% and 27.4%, in that order. Cellulose and hemicellulose
contents in barley straw are 35.5% and 23.9%, respectively, and 49.1%
and 13.3% in pine sawdust.
Gilbert et al. [14] made a study on the effect that pressure and
temperature have on pellets density and mechanical resistance. The
study was conducted using wheat straw and grass in a laboratory
hydraulic press, with separate control for pressure and temperature.
Between 75 and 100 C lignin melts acting as a natural binder and a
maximum of resistance is obtained. However, above 100 C water is
evaporated and the pellet becomes more brittle. The effect of
temperature on density was only observed in the range 1450 C.
Moreover, increasing pressure from 55 to 550 bar increases the
density and mechanical resistance of pellets.
Mani at al. [15], Relova et al. [16] and Shaw et al. [17] studied the
effect of particle size reduction on density, friability and tensile
strength of single pellets. Durability (abrasion resistance of bulk
pellets) can be measured either in a tumbling box, Holmen tester or
Lignotester. According to Kaliyan and Morey's review, most authors
report an increase in durability of biomass pellets when reducing the
particle size. These studies were made in a range of mill screen sizes
from 1.6 to 6.4 mm, which corresponds to a range of geometrical
mean diameter of particles from 0.5 to 1.0 mm.
Mani et al. [15] studied the effect of particle size reduction on the
quality of pellets made in a laboratory press at 100 C. The compaction
degree, given by pellet density, was studied for wheat and barley
straws, corn stover and switchgrass. Using mill screen sizes of 0.8, 1.6
and 3.2 mm, the resulting mean particle size for barley straw was 0.31,
0.38 and 0.69 mm, respectively. For barley straw and other herbaceous crops, it was found that using a smaller mill screen size leads to
a higher pellet density. However, moisture and pressure in the press
were more important variables than particle size. By increasing the
applied pressure the pellet density rose approaching the particle
density; the pellet density also increased when the material moisture
was changed from 12 to 15%.
For the same materials and grinding levels, Mani et al. [18] measured
the specic energy consumption in the hammer mill. For a raw material
moisture of 8%, when a mill screen of 0.8 mm is used the energy
consumption is two times higher than when milling with a 3.2 mm
screen. For higher moisture contents (12%) the energy consumption
clearly increased (especially for the highest mill screen size).
In a similar particle size reduction range (0.30.6 mm mean size
after milling), Shaw et al. [17] used a laboratory press to study the
effect of grinding on density and tensile strength of wheat straw and
poplar wood pellets. Two temperatures and two moisture levels (70
100 C and 915%) were tried. For all conditions, smaller particle sizes
allow for higher density and mechanical resistance of pellets.
From statistical analysis of 32 pine wood pelletizing tests, Relova et
al. [16] reported that the applied force in a laboratory press is the main
factor affecting friability (drop resistance). Moisture is the second
factor and particle size reduction shows little effect. For different
moistures ranging 620%, pellets made with particle sizes between 1
and 2 mm show higher friability than those made from particles
below 1 mm. The authors remarked that all particle size ranges also
include dust particles.
The former tests found in literature simulate the conditions of a
pellet mill using mainly laboratory presses, since conditions are easily
controlled, and experiments are cheaper. Additional factors (i.e., the
use of a at or ring die, the distance between rolls and die, the biomass
owrate, the water vaporisation, etc.) affect the densication process
occurring in real pellet mills, for which only a few number of works
have been published up to now.
Reed canary grass was densied in a pilot plant [19] to study the
effect of (1) moisture content of the ground material, (2) its bulk
density after a pre-densication process, (3) steam addition and(4)
the die temperature. The moisture content was the most important
factor affecting durability and bulk density of pellets, and precompaction allowed for a continuous production.
Different mixtures of vine shoots and cork were pelletized by
Mediavilla et al. [20] in a commercial pellet mill, using a 20 mm
compression at die. The die compression (pressway) is dened as
the distance between the beginning of the inlet cone and the end of
the straight part of the die hole. Three hundred kilograms of material
was used in each test (lasting 2 h each), with the most suitable
moisture content at the press inlet varying between 15 and 25%. With
the addition of industrial cork residue to vine shoots less energy was
demanded and, during combustion of the resulting pellets in a pellet
burner, ash sinterisation was reduced as well.
Moisture just before compression at the die inlet is an important
variable, for that a moisture control system is implemented in some
production plants. The present work is targeted on the optimisation of
a pellet mill pilot plant, the raw material being barley straw (Hordeum
vulgare), a typical biomass waste in the central region of Spain. The
effects of straw moisture and pine sawdust addition on compaction
properties are studied, together with the enhanced properties of the
blended pellets.
Barley straw pellets have been produced, rst grinding the raw
material and then adjusting the straw moisture and/or pine content to
the desired value. Optimal compaction conditions are those resulting
in the best pellet durability. Instead of the bulk density, the pellet
density was determined, since it can be more representative of the
701
compaction process itself, and is not affected by the pellet size. The
overall results of the work can be divided in three sets of experiments
with the following structure.
In Section 3.1, densication of the straw is carried out without any
pine addition, and particle size is reduced at two different grinding
levels. The moisture content is modied in each test between 8 and
23%, to optimize this variable for the two grinding levels.
In Section 3.2, barley straw is analyzed before and after entering
the pellet mill, to study the effect that compaction has on the straw
composition and caloric value.
In Section 3.3, barley straw pelletizing is carried out with addition
of pine sawdust, which may act as a natural binder due to its high
lignin content.
2. Pellets production plant and methodology
Fig. 1. The pellet mill.
Table 1
The pellet mill pilot-plant specications.
Property
Value
Capacity
Die engine power
Die outer diameter
Die inner diameter
Number of holes
Diameter of the holes
Number of rollers
Diameter of the rollers
Hammer mill engine power
100 kg/h
11 kW
344 mm
262 mm
270
6 mm
2
122 mm
1.7 kW
702
DU =
mA
100
mE
Table 2
Analytical methods used for characterisation of the samples.
Property
Analytical method
EN 14775
Thermogravimetric analysis
By difference
CEN/TS 15104
CEN/TS 15289
By difference
Mass fraction, %
60
4 mm screen
7 mm screen
50
40
30
20
10
0
0-0.25 0.25-0.5 0.5-1
1-1.4
1.4-2
Particle size, mm
Fig. 3. Particle size distribution after grinding with two different mill screens.
16
4 mm mill screen
Pellet moisture, %
14
Table 3
Durability (DU) modelled as a function of straw moisture (SM) and mill screen (MS).
good
pellets
7 mm mill screen
703
R2 = 0.76
12
Model 1
10
DU = 0 + 1 SM + 2 MS
8
0
1
2
6
4
no
pellets
low
compaction
too wet
pellets
ns
Model 2
R2 = 0.77
DU = 0 + 1 SM
Estimate
p-value
Estimate
p-value
59.68
1.71
3.04
1.7 E7
8.3 E5
0.26ns
59.45
1.64
8.3 E8
7.5 E5
0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Straw moisture, %
Fig. 4. Effect of the straw moisture on the nal pellet moisture.
are soft pellets with low compaction, since high moisture levels
within the cell structure make particles harder to compress. Thus,
pellets should not be produced from barley straw above 23% moisture,
since the nal pellet moisture rises above 15%, exceeding the
maximum required limit of 10%. The use of too wet pellets would
cause moulding problems during storage as well as inefcient
combustion in the boiler.
The lowest range of straw moisture content below 8%
corresponds to that of the barley straw after grinding with no water
addition in the conditioning chamber. This moisture content is
inadequate for compaction to occur and no pellets are produced
below this lower limit.
Even for moisture contents between 9 and 17%, very low compaction
was achieved during the process, the result being an undesirable mass of
powder comprising scarce pellets. These are fragile short pellets (15
20 mm long) with very low durability (6590%) that increases with the
straw moisture (Fig. 5).
Water favours particle bonding, and the best durability is achieved
for straw moisture contents between 19 and 23%, for which most of
the ground straw properly pelletizes and the product is low nes
containing.
Similarly to the results obtained in these set of experiments,
Kaliyan and Morey [9] report that increasing the ground material
moisture from 10 to 20% enhances durability of wheat straw
briquettes and alfalfa wafers. Nevertheless, the same review reports
an operating problem that was not observed in the present study; i.e.,
for alfalfa and wheat-based feed pellets, the pellet mill tends to choke
for moistures around 1618%, for that 10% moisture is recommended.
In Fig. 4 it is shown that the pellet moisture content slightly
increases with the straw moisture at the die inlet. In Fig. 6, pellet
density, length, durability and moisture are correlated in pairs. Pellets
with higher moisture content seem to be less dense (Fig. 6.A), for that
moisture could be negatively affecting compaction. However, moisture makes particles agglomerate better, making pellets longer (6.B).
100
4 mm mill screen
7 mm mill screen
95
Durability, %
90
85
80
R2=0.77
75
good
pellets
70
65
60
no
pellets
low
aglomeration
too wet
pellets
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Straw moisture, %
Fig. 5. Effect of the straw moisture on the pellet durability.
704
1,4
A
4 mm mill screen
1,3
7 mm mill screen
1,2
5
9
30
Pellet length, mm
30
25
25
20
20
15
5
100
15
1,2
100
100
C
Durability, %
1,4
1,3
90
90
90
80
80
80
70
70
70
60
5
60
1,2
1,3
1,4
60
15
Pellet moisture, %
20
25
30
Pellet length, mm
Fig. 6. Pellet properties correlated in pairs for barley straw ground at 4 and 7 mm. Mean pellet density (A), length (B) and durability (C) versus the pellet moisture content. Pellet
length (D) and durability (E) versus the mean pellet density. Durability (F) versus pellet length.
Table 4
Physicochemical analyses of raw barley straw and the resulting straw pellets.
Barley
straw pellet
(2)
|(1) (2)|
Repeatability
limit
43.85
39.27
5.50
0.77
0.10
0.53
0.02
0.14
0.01
0.02
0.5a
0.25a
0.08b
0.01b
0.64
1.18
0.54
0.20b
1.40b
0.22
0.19
Barley
straw
(1)
Ultimate analysis (wt.%, dry basis)
Carbon
44.38
Oxygen
39.25
Hydrogen
5.64
Nitrogen
0.78
Sulphur
0.08
a
b
98
2
12.0
93
7
12.0
88
12
12.0
0.12a
96.9
1.4 0.1
26.8 5.9
8.2
97.8
1.4 0.1
25.5 5.3
7.8
97.2
1.4 0.1
25.0 4.1
6.1
94
97
a
b
On a dry basis.
On a wet basis.
100
0
20.2
105
705
so that the ash content would fulll the 5% limit. Only with pine
addition the minimum mechanical durability for this class (97.5%) can
be achieved, while the requirements of net caloric value (15 MJ/kg,
w.b.) and pellet moisture (10%) are fullled even for the pure barley
straw pellets.
4. Conclusions
A series of experiments have been performed in a pellet mill, to
optimize the moisture content needed for densication of barley
straw at two different particle size reduction rates. The effect of the
pelletizing process on the physicochemical properties of the raw
material, and the effect of pine addition on the quality of blended
pellets have been studied as well. The conclusions obtained in this
work can be summarized as follows:
No enhancement was found in compaction after pelletizing barley
straw ground to pass mill screens of 4 and 7 mm.
The highest mechanical durability reached for barley straw pellets
was 95.5%, with nal pellet moisture of 68%, when ground straw
was rst moistened to the rage of 1923% of water (wt/wt, wet
basis). Pellets with low durability and a lot of nes result when
moistening below this range and, if no water is added, then no
compaction occurs at all.
Properties related to the degree of agglomeration, such as the
mechanical durability and the pellet length, increase with the
straw moisture content. The pellet density, more related to
compaction, seems to decrease with the moisture content. Longer
pellets exhibit higher durability, but higher density is not a
warranty of higher durability.
Pelletization of the raw material resulted in a small decrease of the
net heating value of barley straw.
The mechanical durability of pellets was enhanced over one point
when the barley straw was blended with pine sawdust (2, 7 and
12 wt.%), adjusting the moisture content to 12% in the mixture.
Better mechanical durability is reached and, for its high lignin
content, the caloric value increases with pine addition. However,
the ash content is still very high in the blended pellets (10%),
exceeding the value of 5% allowed for A1 class in the European
norm for non-woody pellets for non-industrial use [5].
100
0
7.2
98
2
8.2
93
7
7.8
88
12
6.1
9.64
70.27
20.09
9.15
70.33
20.52
0
100
6.5
0.82
76.28
22.89
Acknowledgments
Financial support from the Regional Spanish Government of
Castilla-La Mancha, through the SORCOGAS project, is gratefully
acknowledged, as well as the raw material supply from the Instituto
Tcnico Agronmico Provincial de Albacete.
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44.51
39.33
5.67
0.76
0.10
44.94
39.52
5.60
0.72
0.07
51.12
41.49
6.07
0.49
0.01
17.85
17.94
20.53
15.12
15.55
17.43
16.61
16.72
19.21
18.40
19.37
a
b
On a dry basis.
On a wet basis.
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