Journal article
Integrated biogas and solid fuel production from whole crop silages
Publication Details
Authors: | Graß, R.; Reulein, J.; Scheffer, K.; Stülpnagel, R.; Wachendorf, M. |
Publication year: | 2009 |
Journal: | Berichte über Landwirtschaft |
Pages range : | 43-64 |
Volume number: | 87 |
Start page: | 43 |
End page: | 64 |
ISSN: | 2196-5099 |
eISSN: | 0005-9080 |
Abstract
With the "Integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass (IFBB)", which has been developed at the University of Kassel, a solid fuel is produced from ensiled biomass using mechanical dehydration; in terms of quality, this fuel lies between wood and unprocessed agricultural crops. The mechanical dehydration causes a very high transfer of minerals and mobile parts of the organic matter into the press fluid. This press fluid is then fermented to biogas. The press cake, which is rich in lignin and cellulose, is dried to make a storable solid fuel. Using maize silage as an example, it was demonstrated that hydrothermal conditioning (mashing) increases the mass flows of dry matter and minerals into the press fluid. Mashing with cold water resulted in the highest dry matter content in the press cake and simultaneously in the highest mass flows into the press fluid. The substitution of water with mashing fluid for the purpose of conditioning, a method which could reduce the water consumption of the process, produced contradictory results and needs further investigation. Energy balances for the IFBB process produced higher values for conversion efficiency than for traditional biogas production from whole-crop silages.
With the "Integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass (IFBB)", which has been developed at the University of Kassel, a solid fuel is produced from ensiled biomass using mechanical dehydration; in terms of quality, this fuel lies between wood and unprocessed agricultural crops. The mechanical dehydration causes a very high transfer of minerals and mobile parts of the organic matter into the press fluid. This press fluid is then fermented to biogas. The press cake, which is rich in lignin and cellulose, is dried to make a storable solid fuel. Using maize silage as an example, it was demonstrated that hydrothermal conditioning (mashing) increases the mass flows of dry matter and minerals into the press fluid. Mashing with cold water resulted in the highest dry matter content in the press cake and simultaneously in the highest mass flows into the press fluid. The substitution of water with mashing fluid for the purpose of conditioning, a method which could reduce the water consumption of the process, produced contradictory results and needs further investigation. Energy balances for the IFBB process produced higher values for conversion efficiency than for traditional biogas production from whole-crop silages.
