Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Characteristic Properties of Pine Needle Biochar Blocks with Distinctive Binders


Affiliations
1 ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Nabi Bagh, Bhopal 462 038, India
2 G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar 263 145, India
 

Biochar beehive blocks are an unpolluted renewable and sustainable source of energy. Pine needle is abundantly available in the form of biomass world over. In the present study biomass of pine needles was transformed into biochar using a biochar production machine. The biochar beehive blocks were produced with different binding agents, e.g. soil, cattle dung, cement and lime in 30%, 40% and 50% weight proportion. Block-making procedure increases the bulk density of loose biomass up to 30–100% with increase in calorific value, reduction in storage space requirement and transportation cost as compared to loose biomass. The developed biochar blocks were 12.7 cm in diameter, 8 cm in height and weighed 600 g. The average moisture, volatiles, ash and fixed carbon contents were 5%, 36%, 25% and 40% respectively. The results of the study showed that the maximum shatter resistance and water absorption resistance as 83% and 76% for B50C50 and B50L50 respectively, while the maximum calorific value was 29 MJ/kg for B70S30. Based on process optimization using RSM, a biochar block with a binding ratio of 40% proved to be optimal. The production cost of biochar blocks for soil or dung was B6.30/kg, while for cement or lime blocks it was B10.30/kg. The use of pine needle biomass reduces the hazard of bushfire and helps achieve effective selfemployment by preventing rural farmers from migrating from the countryside.

Keywords

Biochar, Beehive Briquettes, Binders, Calorific Value, Pine Needles.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • EIA, Energy Information Administration Federal Agency, Washington DC, USA, 2011; https://www.eia.gov/

  • Goyal, H. B., Seal, D. and Saxena, R. C., Bio-fuels from thermochemical conversion of renewable resources: a review. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2008, 12(2), 504–517.

  • Kaygusuz, K., Biomass as a renewable energy source for sustainable fuels. Energy Sources, Part A, 2009, 31(6), 535–545.

  • IEA, Wind energy Annual Report, International Energy Association, 2006; www.ieawind.org

  • Efika, C. E., Wu, C. and Williams, P. T., Syngas production from pyrolysis–catalytic steam reforming of waste biomass in a continuous screw kiln reactor. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol., 2012, 95, 87–94.

  • Singh, R. D., Gumber, S., Tewari, P. and Singh, S. P., Nature of forest fires in Uttarakhand: frequency, size and seasonal patterns in relation to pre-monsoonal environment. Curr. Sci., 2016, 111(2), 398–403.

  • Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA), Department of Renewable Energy, 2010; ureda.uk.gov.in/

  • Haykiri-Acma, H. and Yaman, S., Interpretation of biomass gasification yields regarding temperature intervals under nitrogen– steam atmosphere. Fuel Process. Technol., 2007, 88(4), 417–425.

  • Font, R., Conesa, J. A., Moltó, J. and Muñoz, M., Kinetics of pyrolysis and combustion of pine needles and cones. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol., 2009, 85(1–2), 276–286.

  • Mahmood, R., Parshetti, G. K. and Balasubramanian, R., Energy, exergy and techno-economic analyses of hydrothermal oxidation of food waste to produce hydro-char and bio-oil. Energy, 2016, 102, 187–198.

  • Mandal, S., Bhattacharya, T. K. and Tanna, H. R., Energy harnessing routes of rice straw. Curr. Sci., 2017, 113(1), 21–23.

  • Mandal, S., Kumar, G. P., Bhattacharya, T. K., Tanna, H. R. and Jena, P. C., Briquetting of pine needles (Pinus roxburgii) and their physical, handling and combustion properties. Waste Biomass Valorization, 2019, 10(8), 2415–2424.

  • Mandal, S., Arvind, K., Singh, R. K. and Ngachan, S. V., Evaluation of composition, burn rate and economy beehive charcoal briquettes. Int. J. Agric. Eng., 2012, 5(2), 158–162.

  • Mandal, S., Kumar, A., Singh, R. K., Ngachan, S. V. and Kundu, K., Drying, burning and emission characteristics of beehive charcoal briquettes: an alternative household fuel of Eastern Himalayan Region. J. Environ. Biol., 2014, 35(3), 543.

  • Lehmann, J. and Joseph, S., Biochar for Environmental Management: Science and Technology, No. 631.422 B615bi, GB: Earthscan, London, 2009.

  • Zhang, G., Sun, Y. and Xu, Y., Review of briquette binders and briquetting mechanism. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2018, 82, 477–487.

  • Kaur, A., Roy, M. and Kundu, K., Densification of biomass by briquetting: a review. Int. J. Rec. Sci. Res., 2017, 8, 20561–20568.

  • ASTM E873-82 (2013), Standard test method for bulk density of densified particulate biomass fuels. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2013.

  • ASTM D440-86 (2002), Standard test method of drop shatter test for coal. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 1986.

  • NAIP, Value chain on biomass based decentralized power generation for agro enterprises. Final Report, National Agricultural Innovation Project, ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, 2014.

  • Birwatkar, V. R. et al., Physical and thermal properties of biomass briquetted fuel. Indian J. Sci. Technol., 2014, 2, 55–62.

  • ASTM D3173-03 (2008), Standard test method for moisture in the analysis sample of coal and coke. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2008.

  • ASTM D3175-07, Standard test method for volatile matter in the analysis sample of coal and coke. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2007.

  • ASTM D3174-02, Standard test method for ash in the analysis sample of coal and coke from coal. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2002.

  • ASTM D3172-07a, Standard practice for proximate analysis of coal and coke. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2007.

  • ASTM E711-87 (2004), Standard test method for gross calorific value of refuse-derived fuel by the bomb calorimeter (withdrawn 2004). ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 1987.

  • Parray, Studies on suitability of some surfactants for e-diesel and performance evaluation of a CI engine on formulated fuels. M Tech thesis, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, 2012.

  • IS 13152-1, Solid bio-mass chulha, Part 1: portable (metallic). Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), MED 4: Non-Conventional Energy Sources, New Delhi, 1991.

  • IS 9164, Guide for estimating cost of farm machinery operation. BIS, New Delhi, 1979.

  • Mandal, Optimization of process parameters for conversion of pine needles to bio oil, biochar and product gas through batch and continuous pyrolysis, Ph D thesis, Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, GBPUAT, Pantnagar, 2018.

  • Labour Bureau, Government of India, Wages in rural area, November 2018.

  • Rominiyi, O. L., Olaniyi, T. K., Azeez, T. M., Eiche, J. F. and Akinola, S. A., Synergetic effect of proximate and ultimate analysis on the heating value of municipal solid waste of Ado Ekiti metropolis, Southwest Nigeria. Curr. J. Appl. Sci. Technol., 2017, 1–12.

  • Abu-Hamdeh, N. H. and Reeder, R. C., Soil thermal conductivity effects of density, moisture, salt concentration, and organic matter. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 2000, 64(4), 1285–1290.

  • Ramachandra, T. V., Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Technologies, Karnataka Environment Research Foundation, 2000.


Abstract Views: 390

PDF Views: 120




  • Characteristic Properties of Pine Needle Biochar Blocks with Distinctive Binders

Abstract Views: 390  |  PDF Views: 120

Authors

Hemant Kumar Sharma
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Nabi Bagh, Bhopal 462 038, India
Akanksha Kumain
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar 263 145, India
T. K. Bhattacharya
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar 263 145, India

Abstract


Biochar beehive blocks are an unpolluted renewable and sustainable source of energy. Pine needle is abundantly available in the form of biomass world over. In the present study biomass of pine needles was transformed into biochar using a biochar production machine. The biochar beehive blocks were produced with different binding agents, e.g. soil, cattle dung, cement and lime in 30%, 40% and 50% weight proportion. Block-making procedure increases the bulk density of loose biomass up to 30–100% with increase in calorific value, reduction in storage space requirement and transportation cost as compared to loose biomass. The developed biochar blocks were 12.7 cm in diameter, 8 cm in height and weighed 600 g. The average moisture, volatiles, ash and fixed carbon contents were 5%, 36%, 25% and 40% respectively. The results of the study showed that the maximum shatter resistance and water absorption resistance as 83% and 76% for B50C50 and B50L50 respectively, while the maximum calorific value was 29 MJ/kg for B70S30. Based on process optimization using RSM, a biochar block with a binding ratio of 40% proved to be optimal. The production cost of biochar blocks for soil or dung was B6.30/kg, while for cement or lime blocks it was B10.30/kg. The use of pine needle biomass reduces the hazard of bushfire and helps achieve effective selfemployment by preventing rural farmers from migrating from the countryside.

Keywords


Biochar, Beehive Briquettes, Binders, Calorific Value, Pine Needles.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv118%2Fi12%2F1959-1967