Influence of discrete-pulse energy input on the distribution of plant biomass

Abstract

Introduction. The aim of this work is to determine the influence of dispersion modes of plant biomass of raw materials in the rotor-pulsating apparatus by the method of discrete-impulse energy input Materials and methods. The material of the studies was wheat straw and corn stalks, grinded on a disintegrator, which were mixed with water in certain proportions. The suspension was treated in a rotor-pulsating apparatus under different modes. The particle size distribution of the obtained particles was determined by the sieve method and the laser diffraction method. Results and discussion. It is determined that under the same conditions of treatment granulometric composition of the mixture of milled biomass of corn stalks with water after milling in the rotor-pulsating apparatus has a dispersity of 3-5% lower than the mixture of wheat. This can be explained by the different strengths of lignocellulosic fibers in the investigated plants. It was found that with the increase of a solid/water ratio from 1: 5 to 1:15, a dispersity of particles is reduced by 35-40%, and from 1: 5 to 1:10 by 3-5%. According to the authors, this is due to changes in the viscosity of the solution. Reducing the solid/water ratio from 1:15 to 1:10 for 10 cycles of the dispersion treatment in the rotor-pulsating apparatus leads to a decrease in temperature from 47 to 42º C (≈ 10%), but the productivity of the equipment increases 1.5-2 times, energy consumption decreases by 25-30%. The optimum parameters for milling of wheat straw or corn stalks in a rotor-pulsating apparatus are: the solid/water ratio is 1:10; the shear flow rate is 40•10 3 s-1 ; the frequency of flow pulsations is 3 kHz. The number of processing cycles is 25-30. It was determined that the granulometric composition of an aqueous dispersion of wheat straw or corn stalks at a solid/water ratio of 1:10 and treated in the rotor-pulsating apparatus with the frequency of pulsations of 3 kHz, shear flow rate 40•10 3 s-1 for 25-30 cycles allows the conclude that about 50% of the particles have a size in the range of 30-50 μm. Conclusions. Dispertion of plant biomass by the method of discrete-pulse energy input provides for obtaining 80% of particles with a size of 1-50 μm.