An Experimental Technology of Drying and Clean Combustion of Biomass Residues

In the present study, the drying and combustion of solid biomass residues are developed. The combustion of the residues inside a boiler and a stove have been done. We used three types of solid biomass residues (i.e., cork, pine pellet and olive pomace). These residues have been dried by using screw dryers. Experimental installation has been used for a series of thermal drying tests of the residues by measuring the temperature inside the dryer and their moisture contents. A laboratory screw dryer was used to dry the olive pomace by using hot gases from a chimney of a biomass stove. Elemental and proximate analyses, as well as the higher heating value (HHV) of the raw materials, have been determined. In the experiments, moisture content variation of the residues and drying temperatures are obtained. These residues are dried several times under the same drying conditions to achieve the final moisture content rate. On the other hand, the temperature of combustion chamber of the boiler has been measured under different conditions. It has been found that by increasing hot gas temperature, the drying rate is increased. Finally, it has been found that the drying of these residues increases their calorific values and reduces the emissions.