Evaluation of biomass briquettes from agricultural waste on industrial application of flue-curing of tobacco

ABSTRACT

A large amount of waste biomass is produced during agricultural processes, which is a promising renewable energy source, but, to date, there are no effective ways of realizing industrial application of such waste biomass. In the present study, the biomass briquettes produced by waste biomass, which were used as fuel in the curing of flue-cured tobacco, were analyzed. Compared with coal, the average fuel consumption and labor cost of biomass briquettes were down 3.53 and 39.50%, respectively. As for the quality of flue-cured tobacco processed using biomass briquettes, the proportion of superior tobacco leaves increased by 1.23% and the proportion of inferior tobacco leaves decreased by 1.21% compared with those processed using coal. By monitoring the exhaust gases, the emissions of CO₂, CO, and SO₂ from biomass briquettes were decreased by 57.28, 95.45, and 98.06%, respectively, compared with coal. The results indicated that the biomass briquette is an excellent renewable industrially useful fuel with potential for future application and is an environmentally-friendly fuel, which can be widely used in the drying of agricultural products.

KEYWORDS:

• Agricultural waste
• biomass briquette
• drying technology
• industrial application
• cost analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mr Huaguo Gu for his valuable assistance and advice in the preparation of this paper.

Declaration of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 41601330]; Yunnan Science and Technology Innovation Project (Congming Zou [2019HB068]); Yunnan Million People Programme (Congming Zou [2018]73); Yunnan Applied Basic Research Projects [No. 2017FB074]; and the Yunnan Tobacco Monopoly Bureau Projects [2019530000241019, 2020530000241025, and 2020530000241026].

Notes on contributors

Bin-Bin Hu

Dr. Bin-Bin Hu is at the department of tobacco agronomic research center of the yunnan academy of tobacco agricultural sciences. After graduation, he is actively involved in research in the area of the application of clean energy, drying technology and flue-curing of tobacco. The researches aimed to reduce the cost and environmental pollution.

Zhong-Long Lin

Mr. Zhong-Long Lin holds a master in agronomy and he is a senior agronomist. For more 8 years, he is working on the flue-curing of tobacco and plant protection. He has significant experience in tobacco production and implementation of projects. His work aimed to promote the development of agriculture.

Yi Chen

Dr. Yi Chen has researched the tobacco for more than 10 years; his is actively involved in research in flue-curing of tobacco and biological protection. The mechanization and intelligence of flue-curing of tobacco is his main research work at present.

Gao-Kun Zhao

Mr. Gao-Kun Zhao is an expert in the flue-curing of tobacco. He had participated in the development of biomass fuel furnace. He is good at flue-curing of tobacco by biomass briquettes.

Jia-En Su

Mr. Jia-En Su is an expert in the flue-curing and cultivation of tobacco. He has researched on the tobacco for more than 15 years. He is the leading expert of flue-curing of tobacco in Dali. He has coached more 20 skilled technicians for flue-curing of tobacco.

Yang-Jin Ou

Mr. Yang-Jin Ou is an expert in the production tobacco industry. He has researched on the tobacco for more than 20 years. His work aimed to reduce the cost of tobacco production and improve the quality of tobacco leaves.

Rui Liu

Mr. Rui Liu holds a master in agronomy and he is a senior agronomist. He has researched on the tobacco for more than 15 years. He guided the tobacco research in Baoshan.

Tao Wang

Mr. Tao Wang is an expert in the flue-curing of tobacco. He is a leading technician of flue-curing of tobacco in Qujing. He has researched on the flue-curing of tobacco for more than 10 years.

Yan-Bi Yu

Professor Yan-Bi Yu is an expert in the production tobacco industry. She has researched on the tobacco for more than 30 years. She is leading the scientific research of tobacco in Yunnan province.

Cong-Ming Zou

Dr. Cong-Ming Zou has researched the tobacco for more than 10 years. He received his doctorate in Kentucky in 2015. He is the chief scientist of flue-curing of tobacco in Yunnan province.