IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i20p7514-d940122.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Avocado Tree Pruning Pellets ( Persea americana Mill.) for Energy Purposes: Characterization and Quality Evaluation

Author

Listed:
  • José Alberto Soria-González

    (Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera (FITECMA), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), Edificio D, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58040, Mexico)

  • Raúl Tauro

    (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT), Ciudad de México 03940, Mexico)

  • José Juan Alvarado-Flores

    (Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera (FITECMA), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), Edificio D, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58040, Mexico)

  • Víctor Manuel Berrueta-Soriano

    (Grupo Interdisciplinario de Tecnología Rural Apropiada, A.C. (GIRA, A.C.), Pátzcuaro 61613, Mexico)

  • José Guadalupe Rutiaga-Quiñones

    (Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera (FITECMA), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), Edificio D, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58040, Mexico)

Abstract

The energy use of fruit tree pruning represents a current alternative to achieving an energy transition toward clean biomass resources, which can substitute for fossil fuels and mitigate polluting emissions. In Mexico, avocado is one of the most important fruit crops, with approximately 260,000 ha planted. The pruning of avocado trees generates large amounts of biomass that are not fully exploited, lacking studies that analyze in depth the energy potential of pruning. This study aims to determine the potential energy use of avocado pruning as densified solid biofuels. The physical, chemical and energetic properties of two pruning fractions defined as class B (branches) and class BAL (branches and leaves) were determined. From class B, pellets were made, and their physical and mechanical properties were determined. Subsequently, the evaluated parameters of the pellets obtained were compared to European quality regulations to determine their quality and identify their potential uses. The characterization of avocado pruning indicates that class B generally has better physicochemical characteristics than class BAL to be used as solid biofuel. It was found that class B has a high calorific value (19.61 MJ/kg) and low ash content (1.2%), while class BAL contains a high amount of ash (7.2%) and high levels of N (1.98%) and S (1.88%). The manufactured pellets met most of the quality requirements for immediate use in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors at the regional level.

Suggested Citation

  • José Alberto Soria-González & Raúl Tauro & José Juan Alvarado-Flores & Víctor Manuel Berrueta-Soriano & José Guadalupe Rutiaga-Quiñones, 2022. "Avocado Tree Pruning Pellets ( Persea americana Mill.) for Energy Purposes: Characterization and Quality Evaluation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-18, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:20:p:7514-:d:940122
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/20/7514/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/20/7514/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arteaga-Pérez, Luis E. & Segura, Cristina & Bustamante-García, Verónica & Gómez Cápiro, Oscar & Jiménez, Romel, 2015. "Torrefaction of wood and bark from Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus nitens: Focus on volatile evolution vs feasible temperatures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 1731-1741.
    2. Duk-Gam Woo & Sang Hyeon Kim & Tae Han Kim, 2021. "Solid Fuel Characteristics of Pellets Comprising Spent Coffee Grounds and Wood Powder," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Mostafa, Mohamed E. & Hu, Song & Wang, Yi & Su, Sheng & Hu, Xun & Elsayed, Saad A. & Xiang, Jun, 2019. "The significance of pelletization operating conditions: An analysis of physical and mechanical characteristics as well as energy consumption of biomass pellets," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 332-348.
    4. Andrea Acampora & Vincenzo Civitarese & Giulio Sperandio & Negar Rezaei, 2021. "Qualitative Characterization of the Pellet Obtained from Hazelnut and Olive Tree Pruning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Oscar Ruíz-Carmona & Jorge M. Islas-Samperio & Lourdes Larrondo-Posadas & Fabio Manzini & Genice K. Grande-Acosta & Christian Álvarez-Escobedo, 2021. "Solid Biofuels Scenarios from Rural Agricultural and Forestry Residues for Mexican Industrial SMEs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Toscano, G. & Duca, D. & Rossini, G. & Mengarelli, C. & Pizzi, A., 2015. "Identification of different woody biomass for energy purpose by means of Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy applied to thermogravimetric analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 351-357.
    7. Bajwa, Dilpreet S. & Peterson, Tyler & Sharma, Neeta & Shojaeiarani, Jamileh & Bajwa, Sreekala G., 2018. "A review of densified solid biomass for energy production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 296-305.
    8. José Juan Alvarado Flores & José Guadalupe Rutiaga Quiñones & María Liliana Ávalos Rodríguez & Jorge Víctor Alcaraz Vera & Jaime Espino Valencia & Santiago José Guevara Martínez & Francisco Márquez Mo, 2020. "Thermal Degradation Kinetics and FT-IR Analysis on the Pyrolysis of Pinus pseudostrobus , Pinus leiophylla and Pinus montezumae as Forest Waste in Western Mexico," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-25, February.
    9. Martínez-Guido, Sergio Iván & Ríos-Badrán, Inés María & Gutiérrez-Antonio, Claudia & Ponce-Ortega, José María, 2019. "Strategic planning for the use of waste biomass pellets in Mexican power plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 622-632.
    10. Andrzej Kuranc & Monika Stoma & Leszek Rydzak & Monika Pilipiuk, 2020. "Durability Assessment of Wooden Pellets in Relation with Vibrations Occurring in a Logistic Process of the Final Product," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-15, November.
    11. Víctor Manuel Ruiz-García & Maritza Yunuen Huerta-Mendez & Juan Carlos Vázquez-Tinoco & José Juan Alvarado-Flores & Víctor Manuel Berrueta-Soriano & Pablo López-Albarrán & Omar Masera & José Guadalupe, 2022. "Pellets from Lignocellulosic Material Obtained from Pruning Guava Trees: Characterization, Energy Performance and Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-15, January.
    12. Pegoretti Leite de Souza, Hector Jesus & Muñoz, Fernando & Mendonça, Regis Teixeira & Sáez, Katia & Olave, Rodrigo & Segura, Cristina & de Souza, Daniel P.L. & de Paula Protásio, Thiago & Rodríguez-So, 2021. "Influence of lignin distribution, physicochemical characteristics and microstructure on the quality of biofuel pellets made from four different types of biomass," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1802-1816.
    13. Kougioumtzis, Michael Alexandros & Kanaveli, Ioanna Panagiota & Karampinis, Emmanouil & Grammelis, Panagiotis & Kakaras, Emmanuel, 2021. "Combustion of olive tree pruning pellets versus sunflower husk pellets at industrial boiler. Monitoring of emissions and combustion efficiency," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 516-525.
    14. Raúl Tauro & Borja Velázquez-Martí & Silvina Manrique & Martin Ricker & René Martínez-Bravo & Víctor M. Ruiz-García & Saraí Ramos-Vargas & Omar Masera & José A. Soria-González & Cynthia Armendáriz-Arn, 2022. "Potential Use of Pruning Residues from Avocado Trees as Energy Input in Rural Communities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Brand, Martha Andreia & Jacinto, Rodolfo Cardoso, 2020. "Apple pruning residues: Potential for burning in boiler systems and pellet production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 458-466.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stančin, H. & Mikulčić, H. & Wang, X. & Duić, N., 2020. "A review on alternative fuels in future energy system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    2. Grzegorz Łysiak & Ryszard Kulig & Alina Kowalczyk-Juśko, 2023. "Toward New Value-Added Products Made from Anaerobic Digestate: Part 2—Effect of Loading Level on the Densification of Solid Digestate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Nikola Čajová Kantová & Pavol Belány & Michal Holubčík & Alexander Čaja, 2022. "Energy Consumption Depending on the Durability of Pellets Formed from Sawdust with an Admixture of FFP2 Masks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-9, June.
    4. Yılmaz, Hasan & Çanakcı, Murad & Topakcı, Mehmet & Karayel, Davut & Yiğit, Mete & Ortaçeşme, Derya, 2023. "In-situ pelletization of campus biomass residues: Case study for Akdeniz University," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 972-983.
    5. Stolarski, Mariusz J. & Stachowicz, Paweł & Dudziec, Paweł, 2022. "Wood pellet quality depending on dendromass species," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 498-508.
    6. Rodolfo Picchio & Francesco Latterini & Rachele Venanzi & Walter Stefanoni & Alessandro Suardi & Damiano Tocci & Luigi Pari, 2020. "Pellet Production from Woody and Non-Woody Feedstocks: A Review on Biomass Quality Evaluation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Sungur, Bilal & Basar, Cem, 2023. "Experimental investigation of the effect of supply airflow position, excess air ratio and thermal power input at burner pot on the thermal and emission performances in a pellet stove," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 1248-1258.
    8. Sławomir Obidziński & Magdalena Joka Yildiz & Sebastian Dąbrowski & Jan Jasiński & Wojciech Czekała, 2022. "Application of Post-Flotation Dairy Sludge in the Production of Wood Pellets: Pelletization and Combustion Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    9. Ras Izzati Ismail & Chu Yee Khor & Alina Rahayu Mohamed, 2023. "Pelletization Temperature and Pressure Effects on the Mechanical Properties of Khaya senegalensis Biomass Energy Pellets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-12, May.
    10. Wojciech Rzeźnik & Ilona Rzeźnik & Paulina Mielcarek-Bocheńska & Mateusz Urbański, 2023. "Air Pollutants Emission during Co-Combustion of Animal Manure and Wood Pellets in 15 kW Boiler," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-17, September.
    11. Giuseppe Maggiotto & Gianpiero Colangelo & Marco Milanese & Arturo de Risi, 2023. "Thermochemical Technologies for the Optimization of Olive Wood Biomass Energy Exploitation: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, September.
    12. Łukasz Jarosław Kozar & Robert Matusiak & Marta Paduszyńska & Adam Sulich, 2022. "Green Jobs in the EU Renewable Energy Sector: Quantile Regression Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-21, September.
    13. José Juan Alvarado Flores & Jorge Víctor Alcaraz Vera & María Liliana Ávalos Rodríguez & Luis Bernardo López Sosa & José Guadalupe Rutiaga Quiñones & Luís Fernando Pintor Ibarra & Francisco Márquez Mo, 2022. "Analysis of Pyrolysis Kinetic Parameters Based on Various Mathematical Models for More than Twenty Different Biomasses: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    14. Shuren Chen & Yunfei Zhao & Zhong Tang & Hantao Ding & Zhan Su & Zhao Ding, 2022. "Structural Model of Straw Briquetting Machine with Vertical Ring Die and Optimization of Briquetting Performance," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, May.
    15. Stachowicz, Paweł & Stolarski, Mariusz J., 2024. "Pellets from mixtures of short rotation coppice with forest-derived biomass: Production costs and energy intensity," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    16. Kargbo, Hannah & Harris, Jonathan Stuart & Phan, Anh N., 2021. "“Drop-in” fuel production from biomass: Critical review on techno-economic feasibility and sustainability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    17. Patuzzi, Francesco & Basso, Daniele & Vakalis, Stergios & Antolini, Daniele & Piazzi, Stefano & Benedetti, Vittoria & Cordioli, Eleonora & Baratieri, Marco, 2021. "State-of-the-art of small-scale biomass gasification systems: An extensive and unique monitoring review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    18. Silva, D.A.L. & Filleti, R.A.P. & Musule, R. & Matheus, T.T. & Freire, F., 2022. "A systematic review and life cycle assessment of biomass pellets and briquettes production in Latin America," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    19. Barta-Rajnai, E. & Wang, L. & Sebestyén, Z. & Barta, Z. & Khalil, R. & Skreiberg, Ø. & Grønli, M. & Jakab, E. & Czégény, Z., 2017. "Comparative study on the thermal behavior of untreated and various torrefied bark, stem wood, and stump of Norway spruce," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1043-1054.
    20. Andrzej Bochniak & Monika Stoma, 2021. "Estimating the Optimal Location for the Storage of Pellet Surplus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-16, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:20:p:7514-:d:940122. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.