Experimental Evaluation of Pet Food Waste as Biomass Fuel: Corrosion, Emissions, and Energy Potential
Source abstract
Abstract
The pet food industry faces significant sustainability challenges, including reducing energy consumption, lowering emissions, and adopting circular economy practices. This study aimed to assess and propose energy efficiency measures to enhance sustainability within the sector. The research evaluated the use of unapproved food as biomass for boiler combustion. It analyzed its chemical composition, energy impact, and emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through TD-GC/MS, as well as the corrosion effects on boiler metals. An energy assessment of the production process and a combustion characterization of the waste were conducted to identify opportunities for improving energy efficiency and sustainability. The results demonstrated that the chemical composition of the waste and other biomass-related parameters were within acceptable economic and environmental ranges. A reduction of 0.015 Mg of CO2eq per Mg of produced pet food was achieved. Regarding VOCs, their environmental impact was minimal due to the molecular structure of the compounds. Additionally, the corrosion rate caused by waste incineration was comparable to that of domestic gas in the case of cat food, with a rate of 214.74 mpy, while the dog food yielded 55.42 mpy, which is near that of other types of biomass, such as wood chips and pellets. The use of residual biomass in pet food production is a viable alternative for reducing carbon footprint, promoting a circular economy, and improving the industry’s sustainability.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Energy and Environment Impacts · Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes · Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Escuela de Ingenierías y Tecnologías, Facultad de Negocios y Tecnologías, Universidad Gabriela Mistral, Santiago 7500533, Chile
Engineering Doctoral Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de Talca, Curicó 3340000, Chile
Master Program in Geotechnics and Environment Applied to the Mining Industry, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de Talca, Curicó 3340000, Chile
Master Program in Environment and Sustainable Development, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 7941259, Chile
Departamento de Tecnologías Industriales, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad de Talca, Curicó 3340000, Chile
Funding
Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico
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