Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Pellet Production and Characterization

Abstract

Pelletization is a technique used to compact biomass, generating a granulated material called pellets, with high energy density. The objectives of this work were to produce pellets made from Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) residuals and to evaluate its quality. Firstly, the residuals were characterized, followed by the production of the pellets. An experimental framework was adopted, entirely randomized with three treatments: T1-100% Sorghum, T2-Sorghum + addition of wheat starch, and T3-Sorghum with the addition of steam. There was also a comparison of the properties of the pellets with values determined by the European standard. It was concluded that Sorghum biomass (Sorghum bicolor) residuals are viable for pellet production; products obtained were homogenous and easy to handle; the treatment T1 presented the best results for pellet production; all treatments produced pellets within the specifications of the EN 14961-6 (DIN, 2012) standard for non-wood pellets.

Nitrogen deficiency results in changes to cell wall composition of sorghum seedlings

“…Sweet sorghum accumulates sugar in its stalk, which can also be utilized for fermentation. In addition, biomass sorghum can produce more than 42 t ha −1 biomass under favorable conditions 11 , which can be utilized for solid biofuel applications such as biopellets or biochar 7 – 10 . Another advantage of sorghum is its adaptability to adverse conditions, such as drought or salinity 14 .…”