Corn harvest residues for co-generation assessment: availability at Mato Grosso do Sul State, and energy characteristics

Abstract

After harvest, usually a significant amount of crop residues are available and part of it can be a feedstock for biomass energy. This paper´s objective is to quantify sustainable residual biomass from corn harvesting, husk leaf, and cob, and its solid-fuel characterization for energy co-generation assessment. The methodology considers geographical distributions of corn production on a municipal basis, at Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) State in Brazil. Residual biomass from corn harvest has its mass fractions and energy characteristics determined via proximate and ultimate analyzes, bulk density, and heating values. Also, assessment of energy and power obtained by using co-generation power plants technology. The conclusions identify that residual biomass from corn harvest (husk leaf and cob) have large amounts available for energy use (~190.106 kg), and a main one geographic micro-region at MS. Its characteristics as solid fuel, i.e., HHV~18 MJ.kg-1 and TMC,db