Utvärdering av potentiell biomassa från Zambia för tillverkning av bränslepellets : Pelletsproduktion i enpetarpress, friktions- och kompressionsstudier samt hårdhetstest och fuktupptag

Sammanfattning: Biomass has been used as a fuel since ancient times. In recent decades the use has increased and the technology has developed considerably in large parts of the world. In Sub Saharan Africa, traditionally used biomass, such as wood or charcoal, is still the main source of energy in households. Zambia consumes charcoal corresponding to 6 089 000 tonnes/year. The use of biomass is very ineffective and with increasing population and energy requirements, this is placing Zambia on the top ten list of highest deforestation rates in the world.  Emerging Cooking Solutions Zambia Ltd. [ECS], started in 2012 with a vision to establish a pellet production in Africa. They provide modern cooking stoves and fuel pellets to counteract the unsustainable use of biomass and the health risk with traditional fuels. ECS aims to expand their production and are now striving to find a biomass that can increase hardness of pellets. The purpose of this work is to increase knowledge of the ability of raw materials to be pelletized, to support ECS expansion in a sustainable manner.  In this report fourteen different biomasses was evaluated at three different moisture content, 5%, 7,5% and 10%. Peanut shell, Pigeon Pea, Pine and Sicklebush was assumed to be able to be used as a base material. Remaining biomasses as additive; Bamboo, Cassava peel, Cassava stem, Eucalyptus, Gliricidia, Peanut shell, Lantana, Miombo seed capsules, Olive tree and Tephrosia. Pellet production was performed in a single pellet press located at the department of environmental and energy system at Karlstad University, Karlstad. Compression energy, friction energy, hardness and moisture uptake was some of the operating characteriztics and properties that were evaluated. Additionally, four blends were pelletized with the aim to increased hardness.  Pigeon Pea resulted in hardest pellets of the base materials, it managed a radial pressure of 46.3 kg, Pine resulted in low hardness, 17.7 kg. For the additives, the following materials were hardest as pellets; Tephrosia, 70.0 kg, Gliricidia 58.7 kg, Cassava peel 48.6 kg och Miombo seed capsules, 48.3 kg. Pine was the material that required relatively more energy pelletizing, 183.0 J. Lowest energy, Cassava stem, 49,1 J.  All blends resulted in higher hardness of pellets. Most advantageous were Cassava peel and Tephrosia. Cassava peel in Pigeon Pea increased hardness even at 10% and reduced energy requirements. Pigeon Pea with 50% Tephrosia increased hardness with 21.1 kg to 67.4 kg, slightly increasing energy requirements. Though logistic chain for Cassava peel was evaluated higher than Tephrosia.  For ECS to expand their production they are recommended, accordingly to the results in this study, to use Pigeon Pea at about 6% moisture content, as a base material. In order to increase hardness of pellets, they should primarily use Tephrosia, about 7% and Cassava peel at approximately 8% moisture content as an additive.