Comparison of the Heating Values of Various Types of Fuel from Non-Wood Raw Materials

Abstract

The co mbustion of waste fractions fro m the use of pruning of olive and orange trimmings used in the production of pulp for paper have been studied and the results were co mpared with those of other non-wood materials (Hesperaloe funifera, empty fru it bunches from o il palm, and banana trees), also used in the paper industry. Heating values were co mpared with experimental values estimated with elemental analysis, contents of the main co mpo- nents (cellulose, lignin, ext ractives with ethanol-benzene) and p ro ximate analysis (volat ile, ash and fixed carbon). The best estimate of values were obtained with the equation that correlates the heating values and the amount of carbon fixed and volatile, wh ich reproduces the experimental values with less than 4% errors The values of flame temperature (between 1100 and 2400 °C depending on the excess air used and heat loss), dew point temperature (between 44 and 54 oC) and the air/fuel ratio (between 4.5 and 9.5 kg air / kg fuel) were calculated. Finally, the kJ prices obtained by combustion of the materials considered in this art icle were co mpared with those fro m fossil fuels and proved to be more expensive than the materials studied here (less than 3.4 €/MkJ) .