JP2018145252A - Fuel pellet, and method of producing fuel pellet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel pellet that is made from palm branch-leaves (OPF) as a raw material and can be used as biomass fuel, and a method of producing the fuel pellet.SOLUTION: The fuel pellet to be used as combustion fuel is formed of a compression molded body of palm branch-leaves growing around a fruit bunch of a palm, with the pellet having been subjected to a partial carbonization treatment. The method of producing a fuel pellet comprises a squeezing step of squeezing palm branch-leaves growing around a fruit bunch of a palm to obtain sap and a squeezed residue, a crushing step of crushing the resulting squeezed residue, a drying step of drying the crushed product of palm branch-leaves obtained by the crushing step to adjust the moisture content therein, a partial carbonization step of partially carbonizing the crushed product of palm branch-leaves having been dried, a pulverizing step of pulverizing the partially carbonized crushed product of palm branch-leaves, and a pellet molding step of pelletizing the resulting pulverized product of palm branch-leaves by compression molding while adding lignin derived from a palm thereto.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to fuel pellets used as combustion fuel for boilers and the like, and a method for producing fuel pellets.

  In recent years, palm coconut shell (PKS) obtained as a by-product when palm oil is collected from palm coconut has been used as a raw material for biomass fuel. In particular, recently, there is a tendency that the supply of thinned wood as a biomass raw material is insufficient, and the amount of palm coconut shell (PKS) used is increasing.

  In the palm industry for collecting palm oil from palm palm, in addition to the palm palm shell (PKS) described above, empty fruit bunches (EFB), old palm trees (OPT: Oil Palm Trunk), palm branches and leaves (OPF) : Oil Palm Front) etc. are generated as by-products.

  Here, in the empty fruit bunches (EFB), steaming is performed when fruits are collected from fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) of palm palm, so the moisture in the empty fruit bunches (EFB) is caused by the steam at this time. The amount is 65% or more, and is not suitable as a fuel for combustion due to the necessity of a dehydration step and a high potassium content. For this reason, empty fruit bunches (EFB) are either left back to the palm plantation or burned using a boiler in an oil mill while containing about 30 to 50% water, and the combustion ash is used as fertilizer doing. In addition, since the fuel contains a relatively large amount of moisture, a heat amount for evaporating the moisture is required, and the thermal efficiency of the boiler is lowered.

In addition, palm palm trees are cut down when the age of the tree is about 25 years, so that they are cut down and replanted with new trees. At this time, an old palm tree (OPT) is generated. Here, the generation amount of this old palm tree (OPT) is about three times that of palm coconut shell (PKS). In the above-mentioned old palm tree (OPT), the structure is fragile, so it is not suitable for ordinary wood processing, and only a part of the outermost layer is used as a plywood material. Moreover, since it generate | occur | produces with the age of a palm palm tree, there existed a possibility that a supply amount might vary according to a year.
In addition, recently, for example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1-3, a technique for squeezing old palm trees (OPT) and producing ethanol and lactic acid from sugar contained in the obtained sap is proposed. Has been.

Japanese Patent No. 4065960 Japanese Patent No. 4418871 Japanese Patent No. 4665257

  By the way, palm branches and leaves (OPF) are harvested when harvesting palm fruit bunches, and two palm branches and leaves are harvested when one fruit tress is collected. This palm branch and leaf (OPF) has a weak tissue and a high moisture content of about 77%, so it has no intended use and is currently left on the farm. At local farms, it is used as a snake cradle for extermination of wild mice, as a countermeasure against wild rats aiming at palm fruit bunches.

  However, the amount of palm branch leaves (OPF) produced is about 10 times that of palm coconut shells (PKS), and it is required to effectively use palm branch leaves (OPF). Moreover, since palm palm is cultivated in the rainforest region, palm branches and leaves (OPF) can be supplied stably throughout the year, so that it is possible to obtain a great effect by using it as biomass fuel. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides a fuel pellet capable of using palm branches and leaves (OPF) as a biomass fuel, and a method for producing the fuel pellet. Objective.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the fuel pellet of the present invention is a fuel pellet used as a combustion fuel, comprising a compression-molded body of palm branches and leaves that grow around palm fruit bunches, and is semi-carbonized. It is characterized by being treated.

  The fuel pellet of this configuration is made up of a compression molding of palm branches and leaves that grow around the palm coconut bunches. Since the supply amount is large and the supply amount is stable throughout the year, the biomass fuel can be stably supplied. In addition, palm branches and leaves (OPF) that have not been effectively used in the past can be used as biomass fuel.

  Furthermore, since the semi-carbonization treatment is carried out, the moisture content of the pellets for combustion can be reduced and the amount of heat per unit weight can be improved although the volatile components are reduced, making it particularly suitable as a biomass fuel. Yes. Further, the surface of the combustion pellets becomes hydrophobic due to the semi-carbonization treatment, and even when it comes into contact with water, the combustion pellets do not easily collapse, and the handling and storage properties are excellent.

Here, in the fuel pellet of the present invention, the hard glove grindability index (HGI) is preferably in the range of 22 to 50.
In this case, the fuel pellets have sufficient hardness, and can be mixed with coal and pulverized. Therefore, the amount of coal used as fossil fuel can be reduced, and the amount of carbon dioxide generated can be reduced.

In the fuel pellet of the present invention, the water content is preferably 12% or less.
In this case, since the water content is sufficiently reduced, a large amount of energy can be obtained when burned, which is particularly suitable as a biomass fuel.

Furthermore, in the fuel pellets of the present invention, the amount of heat is preferably in the range of 20 kJ / kg to 24 kJ / kg.
In this case, the amount of heat is sufficiently high, large energy can be obtained when burned, and it is particularly suitable as a biomass fuel.

  The fuel pellet manufacturing method of the present invention is a fuel pellet manufacturing method as described above, and a squeezing step for obtaining a sap and a pressed residue by pressing palm branches and leaves that grow around the fruit bunches of palm palm, A crushing step for crushing the obtained pressing residue, a drying step for drying and crushing the palm branches and leaves obtained in the crushing step, and a semi-carbonizing treatment for semi-carbonizing the dried palm branches and leaves A pulverizing step for pulverizing the semi-carbonized palm branches and leaves, and a pellet molding step for adding palm-derived lignin to the obtained pulverized palm branches and leaves and compressing and pelletizing them. It is characterized by being.

In the fuel pellet manufacturing method of this configuration, the palm branches and leaves that grow around the palm cocoons are squeezed to obtain the sap and the pressed residue, the resulting pressed residue is crushed, and the obtained palm branch and leaf crush is obtained. After the product is dried, it is semi-carbonized, pulverized semi-carbonized palm branches and leaves are crushed to a size suitable for pellet production, palm palm lignin is added to palm palm semi-carbonized powder, and compressed. Since it is formed into pellets, the above-described fuel pellets can be manufactured.
Moreover, a sap can be extract | collected by a squeezing process, and this sap can be used as a raw material of ethanol or lactic acid. Moreover, the water content in the state of a pulverized material can be reduced by collecting sap.

The main components of biomass are cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, but the amount of degradation products increases as the thermal decomposition temperature increases. The residual is charcoal and the yield is generally between 10% and 25%.
In the thermal decomposition process of biomass, water is first evaporated (˜110 ° C.), then hemicellulose is decomposed at about 200 to 260 ° C., cellulose is 240 to 340 ° C., and lignin is decomposed at 280 to 500 ° C.
Lignin is required for pellet solidification, but lignin, which has the role of solidifying pellets, may be thermally decomposed depending on the temperature conditions of semi-carbonization and carbonization. In that case, it is necessary to add lignin separately to pelletize the semi-carbonized carbide. For example, when pelletization is performed under a temperature condition of a semi-carbonization temperature of 200 ° C. to 350 ° C., it may be necessary to add lignin at 280 ° C. or higher. Usually, it is necessary to purchase lignin separately, but as the lignin to be added, lignin derived from balm (for example, a powdered material in a petiole portion) can be used. Thereby, self-completed pelletization becomes possible.

  The fuel pellet manufacturing method of the present invention is the above-described fuel pellet manufacturing method, wherein a sap and a press residue are obtained by compressing palm branches and leaves that grow around the fruit bunches of palm palm. A crushing step of crushing the obtained pressing residue, a pellet forming step of compressing and pelletizing the obtained palm branch and leaf crushed material, and a semi-carbonizing treatment for semi-carbonizing the pellet-molded compression molded body And a process.

In the fuel pellet manufacturing method of this configuration, the palm branches and leaves that grow around the palm cocoons are pulverized, and the resulting palm branch powder is compression molded into pellets. On the other hand, since the semi-carbonization treatment is performed, the above-described fuel pellets can be manufactured.
Moreover, a sap can be extract | collected by a squeezing process, and this sap can be used as a raw material of ethanol or lactic acid. Moreover, the water content in the state of a pulverized material can be reduced by collecting sap.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the pellet for fuels which can utilize palm branch leaves (OPF) as biomass fuel, and the manufacturing method of this pellet for fuels can be provided.

It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the palm branch leaf used as the raw material of the pellet for fuel which is embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of the pellet for fuel which is embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the manufacturing method of the pellet for fuel which is embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the manufacturing method of the pellet for fuel which is other embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, a fuel pellet and a fuel pellet manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The pellet 20 for fuel which is this embodiment uses the palm branch leaves (OPF) which grows around the fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of palm palm as a raw material.

In a palm oil production plant that extracts palm oil from palm palm, palm oil is produced as follows.
First, the palm fruit fresh fruit bunches (FFB) cultivated on the palm farm are harvested, and the harvested fresh fruit bunches (FFB) are steamed to extract the fruits. The obtained fruit is squeezed and refined to obtain palm oil crude oil. The residue obtained upon compression purification is separated into palm kernels and mesocarp fibers.
The palm kernel is further separated into a core and a shell (PKS), and nuclear oil is produced from the core. Shell (PKS) and mesocarp fiber (Fiber) are used as combustion fuel for boilers and the like.

Here, when harvesting the fresh palm fruit bunches (FFB) of palm palm, it is necessary to cut the palm branches and leaves (OPF) growing around the fresh fruit bunches (FFB). In addition, when harvesting one fresh fruit bunch (FFB), two palm branches and leaves (OPF) will be cut down.
Palm palms are cultivated in the rainforest region, and about 11 fresh fruit bunches (FFB) can be harvested annually in one palm palm. Two palm branches (OPF) are harvested during this harvest. It will be cut down. For this reason, palm branch leaves (OPF) will be obtained stably and in large quantities throughout the year.
Since this palm branch and leaf (OPF) has a high water content and is unsuitable for fuel, it has conventionally been left on the farm without being effectively utilized. The pellet 20 for fuel which is this embodiment uses the above-mentioned palm branch leaf (OPF) effectively as biomass fuel.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the palm branch (OPF) 10 includes a petiole 11 and a leaf part 12. Here, in the local farm, the palm branch leaf (OPF) 10 is used as a snake cradle for extermination of a field mouse that aims at the fruit bunches of palm palms. Leave on the farm and use the petiole 11 as a raw material for the fuel pellets 20. Of course, it is also possible to use the fuel pellet 20 as a raw material including the leaf portion 12. In addition, in palm branch leaves (OPF) 10, the weight ratio of the petiole 11 and the leaf part 12 is about 50:50.

And the pellet 20 for fuel which is this embodiment carries out the semi-carbonization process of the ground material of the palm branch leaves (OPF) 10 mentioned above, and compression-molds this. As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a diameter D: 4 mm to 20 mm and a length L: 5 mm to 100 mm. Yes.
The bulk specific gravity is in the range of 0.65 or more and 0.85 or less.

In the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, moisture and volatile components are removed by the semi-carbonization treatment, the water content in the fuel pellet 20 is adjusted to 12% or less, and the heat amount is 20 kJ / kg. It is within the range of 24 kJ / kg or less.
Furthermore, in the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, the hard glove grindability index (HGI) defined in JIS M 8801 is in the range of 22 to 50.
Further, in the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, the surface of the fuel pellet 20 is hydrophobic due to the semi-carbonization treatment, and the water resistance is improved. That is, even if the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment is immersed in water, the shape is maintained without being easily collapsed.

Next, the manufacturing method of the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, the petals 11 of palm branches and leaves (OPF) 10 are received from the farm. After washing and dewatering the arrived petiole 11, it is squeezed and sap is collected (squeezing process). The obtained sap is used as a raw material for ethanol and lactic acid. Moreover, the biogas obtained from this sap can also be utilized as an energy source in the said manufacturing method.

The pressed cake (residue) obtained by pressing is crushed to obtain a crushed palm branch and leaf (crushed step). Here, in the present embodiment, the size of the palm branch crushed material obtained in the crushing process is approximately such that the crushing power in the subsequent drying process and the semi-carbonizing process and the drying / semi-carbonizing energy are balanced. The crushing conditions are adjusted in the range of 50 mm to 150 mm. In addition, there is no limitation in particular in the crushing method, What is necessary is just to select and employ | adopt an existing method suitably.
That is, in the drying process, the smaller the raw material size, the more efficiently it can be dried, and even in the semi-carbonizing process, the smaller the raw material size, the more efficient it can be semi-carbonized. . For this reason, it is preferable to set the dimension of the palm branch crushed material in consideration of handling properties and the like.

Next, the obtained palm branch and leaf crushed material is dried for the purpose of moisture adjustment (drying step).
And after implementing a drying process, it inserts into a semi-carbonization furnace and performs a semi-carbonization process (semi-carbonization process process). Here, the conditions of the semi-carbonizing process step are that the holding temperature is 200 ° C. or more and 350 ° C. or less, the holding time is 5 minutes or more and 90 minutes or less, and the atmosphere in the furnace is an atmosphere in which the oxygen concentration is reduced.
In this semi-carbonization process, moisture and volatile components are reduced. Thereby, the calorific value per unit weight improves. For example, when the weight is reduced by 30% and the calorific value is reduced by 10% by the semi-carbonization treatment, the energy per unit weight is about 1.3 times before and after the semi-carbonization treatment.

Next, the semi-carbonized palm branch and leaf crushed material is pulverized to an optimum size for pelletization (pulverization step). For example, when manufacturing pellets having a diameter of 8 mm, the size of the pulverized product is preferably 10 mm or less. As a means for pulverizing, existing equipment such as a hammer mill, a cone mill, and a pin mill can be appropriately selected and used.
And the lignin derived from palm is added with respect to the obtained palm branch pulverized material, this is compression-molded and pelletized (pellet molding process). Here, the compression molding method is not particularly limited, and an existing method may be appropriately selected and adopted.
Through the above steps, the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment is manufactured.

  In the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, since the palm branches and leaves (OPF) 10 that are cut when harvesting the fresh fruit buns (FFB) of palm palm are used as raw materials, Since the supply amount of raw materials is large and the supply amount is stable throughout the year, it can be stably supplied as biomass fuel. Moreover, it becomes possible to utilize the palm branch leaves (OPF) 10 which were not used effectively conventionally as biomass fuel.

Further, in the present embodiment, the palm branches and leaves crushed material obtained by crushing the palm branches and leaves (OPF) 10 is subjected to a semi-carbonization treatment, and after the pulverized palm branch and leaves crushed material subjected to the semi-carbonization treatment, Since it is pelletized by compression molding, the water content in the fuel pellet 20 can be reduced, and the amount of heat per unit weight can be improved by removing volatile components.
Further, the surface of the fuel pellets 20 becomes hydrophobic due to the semi-carbonization treatment, and the fuel pellets 20 do not easily collapse even when contacted with water, and the handling and storage properties are excellent.

  Furthermore, in the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, the hard glove grindability index (HGI) defined in JIS M 8801 is in the range of 22 to 50, and therefore the fuel pellet 20 is sufficient. Therefore, it can be mixed with coal and pulverized. Therefore, in a thermal power plant using fossil fuel, the fuel pellets 20 according to the present embodiment can be mixed and used as a substitute for coal, and the amount of coal used can be reduced. Become.

Further, in the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, the water content is 12% or less, and the water content is sufficiently reduced, so that a large energy can be obtained when burned, and biomass Particularly suitable as fuel.
Furthermore, in the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, the amount of heat is in the range of 20 kJ / kg or more and 24 kJ / kg or less, so that the amount of heat is sufficiently high and large energy can be obtained when burned. And is particularly suitable as a biomass fuel.

  Further, in the fuel pellet 20 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the fuel pellet 20 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and the diameter D is 4 mm or more and 20 mm or less, and the length L is 5 mm or more and 100 mm or less. In addition, since the bulk specific gravity is in the range of 0.65 or more and 0.85 or less, it is excellent in handleability and transportability.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since it has the squeezing process of squeezing palm branch leaves (OPF) 10 and collecting sap, ethanol and lactic acid can be produced from the sap collected in the squeezing process. It becomes possible. Moreover, biomass gas obtained from this sap can be used as an energy source for the production method.

Moreover, in this embodiment, since it has a grinding | pulverization process after a semi-carbonization process, the energy required for a grinding | pulverization can be restrained low.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, since palm-derived lignin is added in the pellet forming step, it is not necessary to purchase lignin separately, and it is possible to manufacture fuel pellets in a self-contained manner.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this, It can change suitably in the range which does not deviate from the technical idea of the invention.
For example, in the present embodiment, the fuel pellet having a substantially cylindrical shape as illustrated in FIG. 2 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other shapes may be used.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, as shown to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the squeezing process which obtains a sap and a pressing residue by pressing the palm branch and leaf which grows around the fruit bunch of palm palm, and the said pressing residue obtained A crushing process for crushing, a drying process for drying the palm branches and leaves crushed material obtained in the crushing process, a semi-carbonizing process for semi-carbonizing the dried palm branches and leaves crushed material, and a semi-carbonizing process A pellet for fuel is manufactured by a pulverization step of pulverizing the crushed palm branch and leaf, and a pellet forming step of adding palm-derived lignin to the obtained pulverized palm branch and leaf and compressing and pelletizing it. Although demonstrated as a thing, it is not limited to this, As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the squeeze process which squeezes the palm branch and leaf which grows around the fruit bun of a palm cocoon, and obtains sap and a pressing residue , Crushing step of crushing the obtained pressing residue, pellet forming step of compressing and pelletizing the obtained palm branch and leaf crushed material, and semi-carbonizing step of semi-carbonizing the pellet-molded compression molded body A fuel pellet may be manufactured in a manufacturing process including:

Below, the result of the confirmation experiment performed in order to confirm the effect of this invention is demonstrated.
By the method described in the present embodiment, a pulverized product of palm branches and leaves (OPF) was semi-carbonized and compression molded to obtain fuel pellets.
For comparison, commercially available palm coconut shells (PKS), coal, and wood pellets were prepared.

  These hard glove grindability index (HGI), water content, heat quantity, bulk density, volume energy density, and surface characteristics were evaluated. The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

  As shown in Table 1, the fuel pellets according to the present invention have a hard globe grindability index (HGI), calorie, and volume energy density equivalent to those of coal, and can be used as coal substitute fuels. Was confirmed.

10 Palm branches and leaves (OPF)
11 Petite 12 Leaf 20 Fuel pellet

Claims (6)

Fuel pellets used as combustion fuel,
A fuel pellet comprising a compression-molded body of palm branches and leaves that grows around palm fruit bunches and is semi-carbonized.   2. The fuel pellet according to claim 1, wherein the hard glove grindability index (HGI) is in a range of 22 to 50. 3.   The fuel pellet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the water content is 12% or less.   The fuel pellet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the amount of heat is in a range of 20 kJ / kg or more and 24 kJ / kg or less. It is a manufacturing method of the pellet for fuels as described in any one of Claims 1-4, Comprising:
Squeezing the palm branches and leaves that grow around the palm bunches to obtain sap and squeezed residue; and
Crushing step of crushing the obtained pressing residue;
A drying step of drying the palm branch and leaf crushed material obtained in the crushing step to adjust the water content;
A semi-carbonizing process for semi-carbonizing the dried palm branches and leaves,
A pulverization step of pulverizing the semi-carbonized palm branches and leaves,
A pellet molding step of adding palm-derived lignin to the obtained palm branch and leaf pulverized product and compressing and pelletizing it,
A method for producing fuel pellets, comprising: It is a manufacturing method of the pellet for fuels as described in any one of Claims 1-4, Comprising:
Squeezing the palm branches and leaves that grow around the palm bunches to obtain sap and squeezed residue; and
Crushing step of crushing the obtained pressing residue;
Pellet forming step of compressing and pelletizing the obtained palm branch and leaf crushed material,
A method for producing a pellet for fuel, comprising: a semi-carbonizing treatment step of semi-carbonizing a compression-molded body formed into a pellet.

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