Decision Support System for the Production of Miscanthus and Willow Briquettes

Abstract

The biomass is regarded as a part of renewable energy sources (RES), which can satisfy energy demands. Biomass obtained from plantations is characterized by low bulk density, which increases transport and storage costs. Briquetting is a technology that relies on pressing biomass with the aim of obtaining a denser product (briquettes). In the production of solid biofuels, the technological as well as material variables significantly influence the densification process, and as a result influence the end quality of briquette. This process progresses differently for different materials. Therefore, the optimal selection of process’ parameters is very difficult. It is necessary to use a decision support tool—decision support system (DSS). The purpose of the work was to develop a decision support system that would indicate the optimal parameters for conducting the process of producing Miscanthus and willow briquettes (pre-comminution, milling and briquetting), briquette parameters (durability and specific density) and total energy consumption based on process simulation. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to describe the relationship between individual parameters of the briquette production process. DSS has the form of a web application and is opened from a web browser (it is possible to open it on various types of devices). The modular design allows the modification and expansion the application in the future.

Sustainable Drying and Torrefaction Processes of Miscanthus for Use as a Pelletized Solid Biofuel and Biocarbon-Carrier for Fertilizers

“…This clearly shows that a decrease in the H and O contents of torrefied biomass will result from the emission of CO 2 , CO, or H 2 O [ 22 ]. A rising percentage of the C content is due solely to a decrease in the O content [ 25 , 26 , 36 , 37 ].…”

“…Therefore, it often requires combustion systems dedicated to a given type and form [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Another way to use this diversified raw material effectively is to process it into a standardized fuel form such as pellets or briquettes [ 10 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. However, the production processes of compacted biofuels depend heavily on the raw material’s physical properties already mentioned [ 28 , 37 ].…”

Evaluation of Urban Tree Leaf Biomass-Potential, Physico-Mechanical and Chemical Parameters of Raw Material and Solid Biofuel

“…Knowing the physical characteristics associated with the raw material, the final product and changes in the most important parameters during the application of technological processes is essential to apply optimal technical solutions [42][43][44][45][46]. Determining the basic physical properties of raw materials and final products is crucial for the proper design of further processing processes such as transport, storage or combustion [47,48]. Therefore, this research aimed to initially assess the usefulness of selected tree leaf species for processing into solid biofuels.…”

Effect of Compaction Pressure and Moisture Content on Post-Agglomeration Elastic Springback of Pellets

“…The main research directions in the production of solid biofuels are searching for new production materials (e.g., exotic plants), determination of physical-mechanical, chemical and energy properties of selected materials, analysis and optimization of the supply chain, technologies of biomass processing to biofuels (e.g., torrefaction and agglomeration), and optimization of the biofuel production process [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”