Physical Properties of Corn Residues

Abstract

Corn residues (cobs, leaves and stalks) are abundantly available renewable materials that can be used as an energy source in gasification and combustion systems. Proper understanding of the physical properties of these materials is necessary for their use in thermochemical conversion processes. The physical properties (moisture content, particle size, bulk density and porosity) of corn cobs, leaves and stalks were determined in this study. The moisture contents were 6.38, 7.92 and 6.40% of the cobs, leaves and stalks, respectively. The cobs had the highest weight percentage (18.23%) of the small particles (<0.212 mm) and the leaves had the highest weight percentage (40.10%) of large particles (>0.850 mm). Most of the stalk particles (84.82%) were in the range of 0.212-0.850 mm. The cob particle size had a normal concave (inward) distribution between particle sizes 0.106 mm (18.23 weight %) and 0.925 mm (25.26 weight %) with the lowest weight percentage (5.30 weight %) at 0.390 mm particle size while the stalk particle size had a normal convex (outward) distribution between particle sizes 0.106 mm (8.49 weight %) and 0.925 mm (6.69 weight %) with the highest weight percentage (23.47 weight %) at the 0.605 mm particle size. The leaves had an increasing trend of particle size distribution between the particle sizes 0.106 and 0.925 mm. The average particle sizes for the cobs, leaves and stalks were 0.56, 0.70 and 0.49 mm, respectively. The average bulk density was 282.38, 81.61 and 127.32 kg m −3 for the corn cobs, leaves and stalks, respectively. The average porosity was 67.93, 86.06 and 58.51% for the corn cobs, leaves and stalks, respectively. A positive relationship between the average particle size and the porosity was observed for the corn residues. The differences in the physical properties among the corn residues (cobs, leaves and stalks) observed in this study are due to variations in the compositions and structures of these materials.

Selective Use of Corn Crop Residues: Energy Viability

“…Regarding density, there were clear differences among the four residues, due to their different natures, and therefore the densification ratios will be very different. Zhang et al [34] obtained densities of 282.38 kg/m 3 (for corncob waste) and 127.32 kg/m 3 (for stalk); these values were very similar to those obtained in this work.…”

Effects of the Harvest Stage of Maize Hybrids on the Chemical Composition of Plant Fractions: An Analysis of the Different Types of Silage

“…Agriculture 2021, 11, 786 2 of 14 In one of the few published studies, Ferraretto et al [6] examined the effects of the harvest time on the nutritional and fermentative quality of earlage, with better results obtained at the beginning of the black line formation. On the other hand, maize harvested for snaplage production requires a high moisture content to increase the rate and extent of ruminal digestibility [7].…”

“…Stem, leaves, husk and cobs are important by-products of maize harvest. For each kilogram of dry grain produced, approximately 0.50 kg of stem and 0.22 kg of leaves are generated on DM basis [14]. Currently, the use of these residues is rather limited, due either to their low nutritional quality, competition for use as organic matter for the soil, or the difficulty in collecting them [15].…”

Corn Cob as a Potential Feedstock for Slow Pyrolysis of Biomass

“…19 For every 1 kg of dry corn grains produced, about 0.15 kg of cobs, 0.22 kg of leaves and 0.50 kg of stalks are produced. 20 Usually, the corn wastes such as corn cob and corn stovers are left on the ground of the farm or found littering the streets of the stall or market. 21 Liu et al 22 used corncob in their study as the feedstock of biochar production at pyrolysis temperatures ranging from 300°C to 600°C.…”