|
Pretreatment
for energy use of rice straw: A review
Foday Robert Kargbo*, Junjun Xing and
Yanlin Zhang
College of Engineering and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural
University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
fodayrkargbo@yahoo.com.
Tel: +862715172529575 or +862713277908018.
Accepted 19 November, 2009 |
|
Utilization of rice straw as renewable energy source has
attracted increasing interest since the past two decades.
However, rice straw has low heating value, low bulk density
and significant amount of alkali and alkaline compounds.
This makes it difficult to handle, transport and store
efficiently hence limiting the commercial use of rice straw.
These properties can be improved by pretreatment of the
residue. This paper therefore explores the literature for
information on some fundamental pretreatment techniques of
rice straw to provide a basis understanding on how it could
be improved as an attractive fuel for energy production. The
pretreatment technologies discussed in this paper include
sizing, torrefaction washing/ leaching, bailing and
pelletizing. The aforementioned treatments improve both
physical and chemical properties of rice straw by increasing
the energy conversion and combustion efficiencies, reduce
slag formation in the furnaces and grates etc thus
minimizing the associated costs and logistics of handling,
transport and storage which could encourage the commercial
use of rice straw as a feedstock for heat and power
production.
Key words:
Rice straw, pretreatment, biomass, renewable energy, heating
value, bulk density, conversion and combustion efficiency. |
