Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality
The variation of wood species processed in sawmills in developing countries generates composite waste which presents treatment challenges due to a lack of understanding of their physicochemical characteristics for proper planning for clean energy generation. Most of the waste is discarded or burnt o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Cleaner Engineering and Technology |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666790822001689 |
| _version_ | 1811311088453550080 |
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| author | Bright Amponsem Edem Cudjoe Bensah Julius Cudjoe Ahiekpor Tobias Cremer Nadine Herold Edward Antwi Isaac Mensah Satyanarayana Narra Benjamin Boahen |
| author_facet | Bright Amponsem Edem Cudjoe Bensah Julius Cudjoe Ahiekpor Tobias Cremer Nadine Herold Edward Antwi Isaac Mensah Satyanarayana Narra Benjamin Boahen |
| author_sort | Bright Amponsem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The variation of wood species processed in sawmills in developing countries generates composite waste which presents treatment challenges due to a lack of understanding of their physicochemical characteristics for proper planning for clean energy generation. Most of the waste is discarded or burnt openly which releases harmful gases into the environment. This study investigated the physicochemical characteristics of mixed sawdust generated from five wood species generated at a Ghanaian sawmill in Oforikrom Municipality for improving waste treatment. The particle size distribution (PSD), bulk density, proximate and ultimate values, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and structural analysis were used to characterize the composite sawdust for briquetting and gasification purposes. It was found that the net heating value (17.46 MJ/kg), some proximate and ultimate values meet briquette standard but high percentages of ash (2.95%), moisture (41.48%) and the possibility of nitrogen oxides emissions were notable challenges. PSD resulted in different high fine fractions which are unsuitable for densification. The increase of sieving amplitudes at 30, 50 and 80 rpm generated an average increase in sieve efficiency of fines by 4.22%. Mixing of fines (42.38–46.6%) and optimum particle size (53.40–57.62%) fractions was suggested as the best approach to enhance briquette density and durability. The FTIR spectra showed a range of peaks such as 1734.46 cm−1, 1620.48 cm−1, 1506.50 cm−1, 1462.02 cm−1, 1420.32 cm−1 etc. for functional groups identification. Composite sawdust spectra showed high absorbance with no shift of wavenumbers compared with temperate woods, however, it deviated massively when compared with industrial cellulose and organosolv lignin. TGA indicated that exact mixed wood pyrolysis temperatures, volatile and biochar fractions will always depend on sample compositions. The increase in heating rates yielded little significance to volatiles and char increments. Collection of clean sawdust and rooftop drying were recommended as a way of enhancing sawdust properties. Composite sawdust has a promising potential to support Ghana's activities for meeting the renewable energy generation targets. The understanding of these potential assessments is significant to boost the local municipality energy supply. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:11:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4797c347eecc4d60bf2afbd92190b1b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7908 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T10:11:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cleaner Engineering and Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4797c347eecc4d60bf2afbd92190b1b32022-12-22T02:50:53ZengElsevierCleaner Engineering and Technology2666-79082022-12-0111100563Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom MunicipalityBright Amponsem0Edem Cudjoe Bensah1Julius Cudjoe Ahiekpor2Tobias Cremer3Nadine Herold4Edward Antwi5Isaac Mensah6Satyanarayana Narra7Benjamin Boahen8Department of Chemical Engineering, Kumasi Technical University, Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana; Corresponding author. Kumasi Technical University, Chemical Engineering Department, Post Office Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana.Department of Chemical Engineering, Kumasi Technical University, Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana; Corresponding author. Kumasi Technical University, Chemical Engineering Department, Post Office Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana.Department of Chemical Engineering, Kumasi Technical University, Box 854, Kumasi, GhanaFaculty of Forest and Environment, Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Schicklerstr. 5, Eberswalde, GermanyFaculty of Wood Engineering, Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Schicklerstr. 5, Eberswalde, GermanyDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Kumasi Technical University, Box 854, Kumasi, Ghana; Department of Waste and Resource Management, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18057, Rostock, GermanyDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Kumasi Technical University, Box 854, Kumasi, GhanaDepartment of Waste and Resource Management, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18057, Rostock, Germany; German Biomass Research Center, Torgauer Str. 116, 04347, Leipzig, GermanyDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Kumasi Technical University, Box 854, Kumasi, GhanaThe variation of wood species processed in sawmills in developing countries generates composite waste which presents treatment challenges due to a lack of understanding of their physicochemical characteristics for proper planning for clean energy generation. Most of the waste is discarded or burnt openly which releases harmful gases into the environment. This study investigated the physicochemical characteristics of mixed sawdust generated from five wood species generated at a Ghanaian sawmill in Oforikrom Municipality for improving waste treatment. The particle size distribution (PSD), bulk density, proximate and ultimate values, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and structural analysis were used to characterize the composite sawdust for briquetting and gasification purposes. It was found that the net heating value (17.46 MJ/kg), some proximate and ultimate values meet briquette standard but high percentages of ash (2.95%), moisture (41.48%) and the possibility of nitrogen oxides emissions were notable challenges. PSD resulted in different high fine fractions which are unsuitable for densification. The increase of sieving amplitudes at 30, 50 and 80 rpm generated an average increase in sieve efficiency of fines by 4.22%. Mixing of fines (42.38–46.6%) and optimum particle size (53.40–57.62%) fractions was suggested as the best approach to enhance briquette density and durability. The FTIR spectra showed a range of peaks such as 1734.46 cm−1, 1620.48 cm−1, 1506.50 cm−1, 1462.02 cm−1, 1420.32 cm−1 etc. for functional groups identification. Composite sawdust spectra showed high absorbance with no shift of wavenumbers compared with temperate woods, however, it deviated massively when compared with industrial cellulose and organosolv lignin. TGA indicated that exact mixed wood pyrolysis temperatures, volatile and biochar fractions will always depend on sample compositions. The increase in heating rates yielded little significance to volatiles and char increments. Collection of clean sawdust and rooftop drying were recommended as a way of enhancing sawdust properties. Composite sawdust has a promising potential to support Ghana's activities for meeting the renewable energy generation targets. The understanding of these potential assessments is significant to boost the local municipality energy supply.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666790822001689Composite sawdustHeating valueStructural compositionsParticle size distributionThermogravimetric analysisBioenergy |
| spellingShingle | Bright Amponsem Edem Cudjoe Bensah Julius Cudjoe Ahiekpor Tobias Cremer Nadine Herold Edward Antwi Isaac Mensah Satyanarayana Narra Benjamin Boahen Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality Cleaner Engineering and Technology Composite sawdust Heating value Structural compositions Particle size distribution Thermogravimetric analysis Bioenergy |
| title | Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality |
| title_full | Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality |
| title_fullStr | Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality |
| title_short | Cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in Ghana- A case study for Oforikrom Municipality |
| title_sort | cleaner energy potential analysis for composite biomass residues from decentralized sawmills in ghana a case study for oforikrom municipality |
| topic | Composite sawdust Heating value Structural compositions Particle size distribution Thermogravimetric analysis Bioenergy |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666790822001689 |
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