Biomassa residual da cultura do milho e suas associações para a produção de biocombustível alternativo

Abstract

Mato Grosso stands out as the main producer of grains and fibers in the country. The advance in agricultural production has brought many industries to the interior of the state, consequently increasing the consumption of biomass to generate heat in their processes. The study aims to evaluate the energy potential of crop residues and the quality of briquettes produced from the residual biomass of the corn harvest associated or not with cotton crop residues, rice processing residues and elephant grass. The biomasses used were straw, leaves, corn cobs and stalks, fiber residues, cotton bolls, cotton leaves and stalks, rice husks and elephant grass stalks, obtained from Fazenda Sonho Meu, Tapurah – MT. The energy characteristics of agricultural residues were determined by immediate chemical analysis and PCS, and based on data from national agricultural production, estimating the potential for energy generation per crop, as well as the potential of the crops together, being 537.20 million MWh, considering the use of 40% of corn and cotton residues and 50% of rice husks from the 2021/2022 harvest. Soon after, new tests were carried out in order to determine the behavior and quality of the dense blocks produced with corn crop residues, which were composed of 10 treatments with proportions of 10, 15 and 20% of cotton residues, rice husks and elephant grass, for the production of briquettes. A consolidation pressure of 15 MPa was used, at ± 125°C, for 8 minutes. After compaction, similar volumetric expansion and moisture absorption behaviors were determined in all blocks. Fixed and volatile carbon contents and higher calorific values were similar for all treatments, and the highest ash content was obtained in the treatment with the highest proportion of rice husks. The apparent and energetic densities were higher in treatments with corn residues and proportions of 20% of cotton residues and rice husks. All blocks showed good resistance, easily supporting the stacking heights commonly used in storage. Demonstrating the briquettes produced from corn residues and their mixtures, they present excellent quality for energy use.