Assessment of unconventional bioenergy plant chopping, milling and pelleting quality indicators and physical-mechanical properties

Abstract

This paper provides the research results of techniques for solid biofuel preparation, while usage of chopping (chipping), milling and pressing (pelleting) of the unconventional bioenergy plants - elephant grass (Miscanthus x giganteus), fibrous hemp (Futura 75) and fibrous nettle. These energy plants were grown in the experimental fields of the Institute of Agriculture, Aleksandras Stulginskis University and Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. It was approved as the methodology for solid biofuel preparation of unconventional bioenergy plants, and was selected as the technique for plant chopping, milling, pressing, and the technique for determination of plant chaff, mill and pellet quality. There are presented results of the experimental research. There were determined the unconventional bioenergy plant stems, chaff and mill chopping quality, in justification of the use of the drum chopping and hummer milling equipment for prepared chaff and mill fractional composition. The quality of stem chaff and mill fineness was defined according to the most widely used methodology approved by the EU countries. There were determined physical-mechanical properties of these unconventional bioenergy plant chaff, mill and pellets - plant moisture content, bulk density, natural slope and failure angles.