Densification characteristics of corn cobs

Nalladurai Kaliyan, R. Vance Morey

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

131 Scopus citations

Abstract

Corn cobs are potential feedstocks for producing heat, power, fuels, and chemicals. Densification of corn cobs into briquettes/pellets would improve their bulk handling, transportation, and storage properties. In this study, densification characteristics of corn cobs were studied using a uniaxial piston-cylinder densification apparatus. With a maximum compression pressure of 150 MPa, effects of particle size (0.85 and 2.81 mm), moisture content (10 and 20% w.b.), and preheating temperature (25 and 85 °C) on the density and durability of the corn cob briquettes (with diameter of about 19.0 mm) were studied. It was found that the durability (measured using ASABE tumbling can method) of corn cob briquettes made at 25 °C was 0%. At both particle sizes, preheating of corn cob grinds with about 10% (w.b.) moisture content to 85 °C produced briquettes with a unit density of > 1100 kg m-3 and durability of about 90%.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)559-565
Number of pages7
JournalFuel Processing Technology
Volume91
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2010

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

  • Biomass
  • Briquettes
  • Briquetting
  • Corn cobs
  • Densification
  • Pellets

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