EXERCISE 1
PRE-LABORATORY REPORT
Bagasse as Fuel
Group III-OPPS
Members:
Orence, Gem Carlo M.
Pacio, Allyssa Mae J.
Prudencio, Daniel Andre O.
Saguan, Mark Glenn B.
I. Introduction
World energy demand is increasing day by day. Energy is a source of development for
world’s growing economy. Today, most of this energy demand is fulfilled by fossil fuels. Fossil
fuel is a nonrenewable energy resource which has caused a huge amount of greenhouse gas
emission. Due to depletion of fossil fuel resources and global warming, it is very crucial to
search for alternative and renewable energy sources. Biomass, which is abundantly available
around the world, is a renewable resource for energy production. (Sohaib et al., 2017)
The dry residue obtained from sugarcane after a series of extraction of cane juice is called
bagasse. Most of the sugar factories are using bagasse to generate steam for power plant
operations resulting to combined use of waste management and bagasse utilization as fuel.
Through high pressure boilers and condensing turbo alternators, bagasse can be used in
electricity generation, also known as cogeneration. (Savou et al., 2018)
One pathway of bagasse is char production. Char is the solid material remains after light
gases (such as coal gas), and tar are driven out and released from a carbonaceous material (such
as bagasse) during the initial stage of combustion. A common method used to convert bagasse
into char is pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of organic matter. It is actually
situated to high temperature in the absence of oxygen. The products of pyrolysis include biochar,
bio-oil and gases including methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. (Zafar,
2018)
Pyrolysis will yield certain amount of products depending on the thermal environment and
the final temperature. At low temperatures, less than 4500C, and with quite slow heating rate, it
will yield mainly biochar. While, at high temperatures, greater than 8000C, and with rapid
heating rates,
it will yield mainly gases. Certainly, at an intermediate temperature and under relatively high
heating rates, the main product is bio-oil. (Zafar, 2018)
The ultimate analysis as well as the proximate analysis of bagasse should also be
considered. The proximate analysis defines the magnitude of the ash, moisture, volatiles, fixed
carbon; while the ultimate analysis defines the composition of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen,
oxygen and sulphur (Mtunzi et al, 2012).
Based on the report of Mtunzi et al. in 2012, the proximate analysis of bagasse can be
summarized as shown in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1. Proximate analysis of bagasse (Mtunzi et al., 2012).
Component Composition, %
Fixed carbon 11.82
Volatile matter 84.79
Ash 2.91
Moisture 48
Total 100
Table 1.2 Ultimate analysis of bagasse (Mtunzi, et al., 2012)
Component Composition, %
Carbon 49.2
Hydrogen 4.69
Oxygen 43
Nitrogen 0.18
Sulfur 0.02
Other elements 2.43
To determine the the Gross Calorific Value (GCV) and Net Calorific Value (NCV) on
wet basis the following equations are used (Hugot, 1986):
GCVw = 4600(1 – W) – 1200S
NCVw = 4250 1 – 485W – 1200S
where:
W is the water content in bagasse (48%); and
S is the sugar content in bagasse (4%).
The quantity of heat remaining to be transferred to the steam is therefore given as:
Mv = [4250 – 4850W – 1200S – q]* αβη
= [NCV – q]* αβη
where:
α is the coefficient losses due to incomplete combustion;
β is the coefficient losses due to radiation;
η is the coefficient losses due to unburnt solids;
Mv is the heat transferred to the steam per kg of bagasse burnt in kJ/kg;
W is moisture of bagasse;
S is the sugar content per kilogram of bagasse; and
q is the sensible heat loss of flue gases.
For ordinary furnaces, α = 0.98 while α = 0.975 for Spreader stoker furnaces (Hugot,
1986). The type of furnaces used at HVE, β = 0.975 and η=0.965 are Spreader Stocker furnaces.
The sensible heat loss (q) was found to be 1.43MJ/kg. The sensible heat loss was determined as
follows:
q = [(1 – W)(1.4m – 0.13) + o.5]*t
where:
q is the sensible heat loss in kcal/kg;
W is the moisture content in the bagasse (48%);
m is the excess air ratio (1:4); and
t is the flue gas temperature (235°C).
However, not all of this heat from the bagasse goes into steam production. There are also
heat losses that should be accounted in the furnace as well as in the boiler. The losses consist of
the following (Mtunzi et al., 2012).
• Latent heat of water formed by combustion of hydrogen found in the bagasse
• Latent heat of water contained in the bagasse
• Sensible heat of the flue gas leaving the boiler
• Losses of heat in ash and grit
• Losses of heat by radiation and convection from the furnace and boiler
• Losses due to incomplete combustion of carbon giving carbon monoxide
instead of carbon dioxide
According to the ASTM Standard Method E1755, in the determination of ash in biomass,
ash is expressed as mass percent of the residue after dry oxidation (575 ± 25°C) of materials like
herbaceous stuffs, wastepapers, acid and alkaline pretreated biomass, solid fraction of
fermentation residues or agricultural residues such as bagasse. Ash is to be reported relative to
105°C oven-dried mass of the bagasse sample (Sluiter et al, 2005).
On the other hand, moisture is determined by obtaining the loss in weight of the sample
upon heating under rigidly controlled conditions such as temperature, time and atmosphere,
sample weight, and equipment specifications. As stated by ASTM Standard Method D3173, “an
ordinary drying oven with openings for natural air circulation and capable of temperature
regulation between limits of 104 and 110°C may be used.” (ASTM, Int’l, 2009)
II. Objectives
The general objective of this concept paper is to determine the full potential of bagasse as
a fuel. Specifically, it aims to:
1.) produce char from sugarcane bagasse;
2.) determine the percent yield of char production;
3.) perform proximate analyses of bagasse and char; and
4.) determine the heating value (HV) of bagasse and char.
III. Materials and Equipment
A. CHAR PRODUCTION
Bagasse
Weighing scale
Furnace
Crucible with cover
Dessicator
B. PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF BAGASSE AND CHAR
220g bagasse
6 crucible with cover
Weighing scale
Furnace
Desiccator
IV. Flowchart of Methods
CHAR PRODUCTION
Temperature for pyrolysis - less than 4500C with slow heating rate.
Figure 1.2 Schematic diagram of pyrolysis process of pretreated bagasse
(Sohaib et. al, 2017)
PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF BAGASSE AND CHAR
Note that each procedure will be done in duplicates.
a. Moisture Determination
Figure 1.3 Flowchart of moisture content determination of bagasse and
char (from SUTC 148 handouts)
b. Ash Content Determination
Figure 1.4 Flowchart of ash content determination (Aragaw, 2016)
c. Volatile Matter Content Determination
Figure 1.5 Volatile matter content determination in bagasse and char
flowchart (Aragaw, 2016)
d. Fixed Carbon Content Determination
%D = 100% − (%A − %B − % C)
In determining fixed carbon content in bagasse and char, subtract the sum of the
percentages obtained from A, B, and C from 100.
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