Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips
For sustainable agriculture, the contentious input of peat in growing media needs to be replaced by a substitute with the best possible water-holding capacity (WHC). Wood from fast growing poplar trees, cultivated in short rotation coppices (SRC), is a suitable alternative if it is processed correct...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/9/762 |
| _version_ | 1797487703042818048 |
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| author | Christian Dittrich Ralf Pecenka Benjamin Selge Christian Ammon Harald Kruggel-Emden |
| author_facet | Christian Dittrich Ralf Pecenka Benjamin Selge Christian Ammon Harald Kruggel-Emden |
| author_sort | Christian Dittrich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | For sustainable agriculture, the contentious input of peat in growing media needs to be replaced by a substitute with the best possible water-holding capacity (WHC). Wood from fast growing poplar trees, cultivated in short rotation coppices (SRC), is a suitable alternative if it is processed correctly in a twin-screw extruder. The processing parameters, such as the aperture setting of the extruder, moisture content, and specific energy demand (SED), during twin-screw extrusion, as well as their influence on fibre properties such as WHC and particle size distribution, are investigated. SRC-poplar wood chips from clone Max3 are the raw material used for this research. As a result, the best volume-based WHC (75%) at −1 kPa suction tension was achieved for dry extruded wood chip fibre at an aperture setting of 15 mm and an SED of 340 kWh*t<sup>−1</sup>. The smallest SED of 140 kWh*t<sup>−1</sup> was measured at apertures of 35 mm and 40 mm, which resulted in a volume-based WHC of approximately 30% and a dry matter mass flow during processing of 0.289 t*h<sup>−1</sup> (40 mm). The particle size distribution of semi-dry wood chips has the highest fine fraction as well as the smallest coarse fraction. Conclusively, poplar wood can be processed fresh and dry into fibre at an acceptable SED, which results in an acceptable WHC. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:51:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51ccf3a0830e4f2d8262566e86f2dcd6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:51:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-51ccf3a0830e4f2d8262566e86f2dcd62023-11-23T16:33:12ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242022-08-018976210.3390/horticulturae8090762Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood ChipsChristian Dittrich0Ralf Pecenka1Benjamin Selge2Christian Ammon3Harald Kruggel-Emden4Leibniz 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, GermanyLeibniz 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, GermanyMechanical Process Engineering and Solids Processing (MVTA), Technische Universität Berlin, Ernst-Reuter-Platz 1, 10587 Berlin, GermanyFor sustainable agriculture, the contentious input of peat in growing media needs to be replaced by a substitute with the best possible water-holding capacity (WHC). Wood from fast growing poplar trees, cultivated in short rotation coppices (SRC), is a suitable alternative if it is processed correctly in a twin-screw extruder. The processing parameters, such as the aperture setting of the extruder, moisture content, and specific energy demand (SED), during twin-screw extrusion, as well as their influence on fibre properties such as WHC and particle size distribution, are investigated. SRC-poplar wood chips from clone Max3 are the raw material used for this research. As a result, the best volume-based WHC (75%) at −1 kPa suction tension was achieved for dry extruded wood chip fibre at an aperture setting of 15 mm and an SED of 340 kWh*t<sup>−1</sup>. The smallest SED of 140 kWh*t<sup>−1</sup> was measured at apertures of 35 mm and 40 mm, which resulted in a volume-based WHC of approximately 30% and a dry matter mass flow during processing of 0.289 t*h<sup>−1</sup> (40 mm). The particle size distribution of semi-dry wood chips has the highest fine fraction as well as the smallest coarse fraction. Conclusively, poplar wood can be processed fresh and dry into fibre at an acceptable SED, which results in an acceptable WHC.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/9/762twin-screw extrusionwater-holding capacitypoplar wood chipsspecific energy demandparticle size distributionpeat substitution |
| spellingShingle | Christian Dittrich Ralf Pecenka Benjamin Selge Christian Ammon Harald Kruggel-Emden Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips Horticulturae twin-screw extrusion water-holding capacity poplar wood chips specific energy demand particle size distribution peat substitution |
| title | Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips |
| title_full | Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips |
| title_short | Influence of Processing Parameters on Fibre Properties during Twin-Screw Extrusion of Poplar Wood Chips |
| title_sort | influence of processing parameters on fibre properties during twin screw extrusion of poplar wood chips |
| topic | twin-screw extrusion water-holding capacity poplar wood chips specific energy demand particle size distribution peat substitution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/9/762 |
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