Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties
Peat is a highly contentious input in agriculture. Replacing or reducing peat by substitution with lignocellulosic biomass processed into fibre by twin-screw-extrusion could contribute to more sustainable agriculture with regard to horticultural production. Therefore, plant wastes including pruning...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/6/1185 |
| _version_ | 1797530656361676800 |
|---|---|
| author | Christian Dittrich Ralf Pecenka Anne-Kristin Løes Rafaela Cáceres Judith Conroy Francis Rayns Ulrich Schmutz Alev Kir Harald Kruggel-Emden |
| author_facet | Christian Dittrich Ralf Pecenka Anne-Kristin Løes Rafaela Cáceres Judith Conroy Francis Rayns Ulrich Schmutz Alev Kir Harald Kruggel-Emden |
| author_sort | Christian Dittrich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peat is a highly contentious input in agriculture. Replacing or reducing peat by substitution with lignocellulosic biomass processed into fibre by twin-screw-extrusion could contribute to more sustainable agriculture with regard to horticultural production. Therefore, plant wastes including pruning from <i>Olea europaea</i> L. and <i>Vitis</i> spp. L., residues from perennial herbs like <i>Salvia</i> spp. L., <i>Populus</i> spp. L. and forest biomass were processed to fibre for peat replacement with a biomass extruder. The water-holding-capacity (WHC), particle-size-distribution and other physical fibre characteristics were determined and compared to peat. The specific energy demand during extrusion was measured for aperture settings from 6–40 mm. No fibre reached the 82% WHC of peat. At the setting of 20 mm of all materials investigated, <i>Salvia</i> performed best with a WHC of 53% and moderate specific energy demand (167 kWh t<sub>DM</sub><sup>−1</sup>) followed by <i>Olea europaea</i> with a WHC of 43% and a low energy demand (93 kWh t<sub>DM</sub><sup>−1</sup>). For <i>Populus</i>, opening the aperture from 20–40 mm decreased energy demand by 41% and WHC by 27%. The drying of biomass for storage and remoistening during extrusion increased the specific energy demand. Despite a lower WHC than peat, all investigated materials are suitable to replace peat in growing media regarding their physical properties. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:32:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49cebd3c7bee4d7ab5a2f5c4a2888f3a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:32:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-49cebd3c7bee4d7ab5a2f5c4a2888f3a2023-11-21T23:33:14ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-06-01116118510.3390/agronomy11061185Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-PropertiesChristian Dittrich0Ralf Pecenka1Anne-Kristin Løes2Rafaela Cáceres3Judith Conroy4Francis Rayns5Ulrich Schmutz6Alev Kir7Harald Kruggel-Emden8Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, GermanyNorwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture (NORSØK), NO-6630 Tingvoll, NorwayInstitute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), 08140 Caldes de Montbui, SpainCentre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry CV8 3LG, UKCentre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry CV8 3LG, UKCentre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry CV8 3LG, UKMinistry of Agriculture and Forestry, Olive Research Institute, Izmir 43 35100, TurkeyMechanical Process Engineering and Solids Processing (MVTA), Faculty 3 Berlin, Technical University, 10587 Berlin, GermanyPeat is a highly contentious input in agriculture. Replacing or reducing peat by substitution with lignocellulosic biomass processed into fibre by twin-screw-extrusion could contribute to more sustainable agriculture with regard to horticultural production. Therefore, plant wastes including pruning from <i>Olea europaea</i> L. and <i>Vitis</i> spp. L., residues from perennial herbs like <i>Salvia</i> spp. L., <i>Populus</i> spp. L. and forest biomass were processed to fibre for peat replacement with a biomass extruder. The water-holding-capacity (WHC), particle-size-distribution and other physical fibre characteristics were determined and compared to peat. The specific energy demand during extrusion was measured for aperture settings from 6–40 mm. No fibre reached the 82% WHC of peat. At the setting of 20 mm of all materials investigated, <i>Salvia</i> performed best with a WHC of 53% and moderate specific energy demand (167 kWh t<sub>DM</sub><sup>−1</sup>) followed by <i>Olea europaea</i> with a WHC of 43% and a low energy demand (93 kWh t<sub>DM</sub><sup>−1</sup>). For <i>Populus</i>, opening the aperture from 20–40 mm decreased energy demand by 41% and WHC by 27%. The drying of biomass for storage and remoistening during extrusion increased the specific energy demand. Despite a lower WHC than peat, all investigated materials are suitable to replace peat in growing media regarding their physical properties.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/6/1185twin-screw extrusionfibreagricultural residuespeat substitutionspecific energy demandwater holding capacity |
| spellingShingle | Christian Dittrich Ralf Pecenka Anne-Kristin Løes Rafaela Cáceres Judith Conroy Francis Rayns Ulrich Schmutz Alev Kir Harald Kruggel-Emden Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties Agronomy twin-screw extrusion fibre agricultural residues peat substitution specific energy demand water holding capacity |
| title | Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties |
| title_full | Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties |
| title_fullStr | Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties |
| title_short | Extrusion of Different Plants into Fibre for Peat Replacement in Growing Media: Adjustment of Parameters to Achieve Satisfactory Physical Fibre-Properties |
| title_sort | extrusion of different plants into fibre for peat replacement in growing media adjustment of parameters to achieve satisfactory physical fibre properties |
| topic | twin-screw extrusion fibre agricultural residues peat substitution specific energy demand water holding capacity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/6/1185 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christiandittrich extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT ralfpecenka extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT annekristinløes extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT rafaelacaceres extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT judithconroy extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT francisrayns extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT ulrichschmutz extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT alevkir extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties AT haraldkruggelemden extrusionofdifferentplantsintofibreforpeatreplacementingrowingmediaadjustmentofparameterstoachievesatisfactoryphysicalfibreproperties |