ASSESSMENT OF COMBUSTION PARAMETERS OF BIOMASS MIXTURES

Abstract

Abstract. Herbaceous energy crops would be the main basis for solid biofuel production in agricultural ecosystem in future. Reed canary grass is grown in recent years and is recommended for solid biofuel production. Besides that, there is a possibility to utilize for bioenergy production natural biomass of common reeds overgrowing the shorelines of Latvian more than 2000 lakes. Growing of hemp can be a good alternative source for energy producing. Peat can be used as the best additive for manufacturing of solid biofuel, because it improves the density, durability of stalk material briquettes (pellets) and avoids corrosion of boilers. Given that the peat calorific value is greater than the calorific value of straw biomass, the total calorific value of the mixture increases. In the study the experimentally obtained calorific values for different biomass mixtures are given, as well as the method of calculation for higher calorific value of biomass mixtures. Keywords: calorific value, hemp, reed, reed canary grass. Introduction According to Eurostat the renewables covered 18.3 % of the gross inland consumption in the EU 27 countries in 2009. Biomass gave almost two thirds of renewables-based energy (67.7 %). In almost all of the Baltic Sea countries the share of biomass in the gross inland energy consumption is higher than the EU average. The share of biomass as a fuel in Latvia is 29.2 %, which is the highest percentage in the enlarged EU The available modern biofuel production and combustion technologies enable effective utilization of practically all type wood and also herbaceous biomass including different types of cereals, hemp, common reeds etc. Also herbaceous biomass, for example, straw has found increasingly wider implementation as a fuel. The main resources for solid biofuel in rural areas of Latvia are wood, residues of cereal crops, peat and emergent vegetation in lakes as common reeds (Phragmites australis). By its characteristics as an energy plant, Common Reed can be compared with Reed Canary Grass, which is a field-grown grass. Reed Canary Grass has proven to be both a winter-hardy and a high-yielding energy plant (in spring harvest, 6-8 tons per hectare), which stays productive for 10-12 years. Reed Canary Grass is deemed for the energy plants best suited for Northern European conditions Growing of hemp, which is a good fibre, oil and biofuel resource, can be a good alternative source for energy producing Peat can be used as the best additive for manufacturing of solid biofuel, because it improves the density, durability of stalk material briquettes (pellets) and avoids corrosion of boilers. Previous studies showed that the addition of peat in stalk biomass increases the strength and the calorific value of fuel briquettes. The study aims to find out how the peat content affects the net calorific value, ash content and ash melting point of biomass fuels