Binders in biomass pelletization and combustion analysis

• Study shows how binders affect rheology, pelleting and energy use. • Results help optimize mixtures for efficient pellet production. • Emission data point to measures needed to meet limits. • TGA reveals temperature behavior and mass losses of mixtures. • The study enhances pelletization and supports the creation of sustainable biofuels. Non-wood biomass currently appears to be a sustainable source of energy production that is renewable and available. Binders improve some of the qualitative properties of pellets and can facilitate the production itself. Various organic and inorganic binders were added to the meadow hay in the ratio of 2 and 15 %. The organic binders used included lignosulfonate, wheat flour, wheat starch and carboxymethylcellulose, and the inorganic binders used were magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate. Rheological properties were measured for all binders, including compressibility, angle of internal and external friction and aeration. The first results showed that according to the rheological properties of the binders, lignosulfonate, starch and carboxymethylcellulose can be classified as non-cohesive, free flowing powders, flour as a typical powder with some cohesive properties and magnesium carbonate along with calcium carbonate as cohesive, poorly flowing materials that are poorly aerated. All homogenized mixtures were subsequently pelletized, producing pellets with a diameter of 6 mm. The pellet samples were combusted in a fluidized bed boiler with a stationary fluidized bed, and the resulting flue gas emissions were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This analysis showed that, for example, with the addition of lignosulfonate, the amount of sulfur oxides increases quite significantly. Thermogravimetric analysis was measured for all samples.