Content of lignin and ash in grass biomass depending on fertiliser type and rate
2014
Platace, R., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia) | Adamovics, A., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia)
Plant biomass is one of ecological solutions for the future, since it allows compensating growing shortage of fossil resources. Hoverer, biomass production has to face problems related to cultivation of grass with particular chemical content. Ash is an important indicator used to characterise the quality of fuel, since higher ash content causes problems to automation of the combustion process, whereas lignin is natural astringent that holds a granule together. Productivity and chemical content of grass are largely influenced by fertilisers, namely their types and rates applied; therefore, the research aims at evaluating the ash and lignin content in reed canary grass (RCG) and tall fescue biomass depending on fertiliser types and rates, finding out biomass suitability for the production of biofuel, as well as studying correlations between the factors influencing the above indicators. The research helped discovering that the ash content in RCG dry matter comprises 7.02-8.88 % and lignin content varies between 4.46 % and 5.41 %; while the ash content in tall fescue biomass accounts for 7.93-8.29 %, and lignin content constitutes 4.82-6.06 %. RCG biomass indicated close linear correlation between the ash content and mineral fertiliser rate applied (r = -0.88). The grass biomass samples did not indicate correlation between the lignin and ash content. Since in comparison with wood fuel indicators, the ash content rates estimated in this study are higher, while lignin – lower, it is recommended to use tall fescue or RCG herbaceous biomass only as an additive to wood chips or pellets.
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