Caracterização de pellets de eucalipto e resíduos da despolpa do café

Abstract

The current Worldwide and Brazil's energy matrix is based in the use of fossil fuels, main reason for the greenhouse effect, for this reason the oil has been replaced by other energy sources (biomass), which have great potential to meet current energy needs and with less environmental impact. Thus, pelletization becomes one of alternative technologies for energy, taking advantage of agroforestry waste. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of forest biomass (eucalyptus) and waste from the coffee pulping to production of pellets for energy purposes. We used three Eucalyptus clones and three residues of the coffee pulping (parchment, silver film and outer shell) to do the six compositions (EPCE and EPPP), also the three residues of the pulping were pure pelleted. The color of the pellets were correlated by the CIE-L ab* system and it was observed that high gray levels produce darker pellets, which were ranked the silver foil pellets (PP) and outer shell (EC) with a ?E of 31.14 and 29.34 respectively, were darker. Among the pellets with eucalyptus wood incorporation, foreign eucalyptus parchment-shell composition (ECPCE) had the highest durability, hardness and liquid energy density with 98.17%; 37.12 kg and 11.60 MJ m-3, respectively, and met the German standard may be sold and exported. The pellets produced (100% pure) with the waste coffee pulping (PP and CE), meet all the parameters established by the German standard for non-wood pellets also can be marketed and exported. Among the biomass present favorable properties for production of pellets for energy purposes.