Ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting of wheat straw: a predictive model for pellet density using response surface methodology

Abstract

Background: Cellulosic biomass can be used as the feedstock for liquid biofuel manufacturing. However, high costs associated with transportation and storage of low-density cellulosic biomass has hindered cost-effective manufacturing of cellulosic liquid biofuels. Pelleting can increase biomass density and reduce transportation and storage costs. Results & discussion: This article reports the development of a predictive model, using response surface methodology, for pellet density in ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting of wheat straw. The results show that pellet density increases as ultrasonic power and cylinder pressure increase, and as biomass moisture content and particle size decrease. Conclusion: This model can predict the effects of process parameters on pellet density in ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting. The methodology can also be applied to investigations of pellet durability and power consumption.

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully extend their acknowledgements to C Treadwell at Sonic Mill for his technical support on experimental equipment, and to T Deines in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Kansas State University, for providing biomass materials. Special thanks also go to M Zhang, X Song and W Cong in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Kansas State University, for their help during this study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study is partly supported by NSF Award No. CMMI-0970112. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.