Evaluation of Paulownia's biomass in a pelletized form
Andrea Pinto1; Tânia Ferreira2; João Monney Paiva1
1 Politécnico de Viseu; 2 Universidade do Porto
doi:10.20906/CPS/COB-2015-0720
Resumo
The present study evaluated Paulownia's biomass in a pelletized form and compare with commercial and certified pine pellets. Paulownia is a fast growing and resistant species in a wide range of climate conditions, native from China. The species used in this work is COT2 from Spain, Paulownia elongata x Paulownia fortune, which is an interspecific hybrid and not invasive. Paulownia's biomass heating value is in the same range of other biomass species, such as pine's, but its low pollutant content makes it an interesting study target. Paulownia logs were cut into small pieces and dried in both a solar and an electric greenhouse, then milled and finally pelletized. Throughout all the stages tests were made to know its moisture content. Pellets had 6.3% in wet basis. Quality tests were performed to the pellets to allow comparing with pine pellets. Pine and Paulownia pellets were burned at three nominal thermal loads on a specially lab quasi-adiabatic prepared boiler: reduced, medium and high. Thermal efficiency and pollutants emissions were obtained in each of the loads.
Palavras-chave: paulownia; pellets; combustion; thermal efficiency; pollutants