Estudo da viabilidade de um combustível alternativo para uso em caldeiras de biomassa

Abstract

The main source of energy used in the processes of various industries is the thermal energy generated by biomass boilers. These, in turn, obtain the energy through the combustion of wood, in most cases. A grain industry, Cooperativa Agrária, located in the Guarapuava - PR region, uses four biomass superheated water generators as the main energy medium in its processes, which reach a net capacity of 15.5 MW per boiler. The main material used as fuel is the wood chip of eucalyptus, produced by its forest unit. However, the production of this unit is not enough to supply the entire industry demand. Then, other products burned are cereal residues such as soybeans, wheat, corn and barley, from other sectors of the Cooperative. The chip, which has an average moisture content of 45%, is burned in the grid along with the coarse residues of the cereals, while the cereal powder, a material of low moisture (about 13%), is burned in suspension above of the flame produced by the combustion of the chip. Due to the high consumption of biomass and the need to buy it from the market, which has a high value, the company performed tests of energetic efficiency in its boilers, using less noble parts of the pine itself, such as bark and sawdust with 50% of humidity generated by another local company. The tests had the objective of analyzing the energy potential and the cost / consumption of the materials that will be burned together with the fuels already used in the boilers. The results showed that pine bark has a total capacity to supply the energy demand of the company, presenting an energy potential of 2.29 MWh / ton, while the value of pine wood chip, already used fuel, was 2.55 MWh / ton.