bagasse

Production, storage and composition

For every 10 tons of sugarcane crushed, a sugar factory produces nearly three tons of wet bagasse. Since bagasse is a product of the cane sugar industry, the quantity of production in each country is in line with the amount of sugarcane produced.

The high moisture content of bagasse, typically 40-50 percent, is detrimental to its use as a fuel. In general, bagasse is stored prior to further processing. For electricity production, it is stored under moist conditions, and the mild exothermic process that results from the degradation of residual sugars dries the bagasse slightly. For paper and pulp production it is wet Normally Stored in order to assist in removal of the short pith fibers, qui Impede the paper making process, as well as to remove Any remaining sugar.

A typical chemical analysis of washed and dried bagasse might show: ^[2]

• Cellulose 45-55 percent
• Hemicellulose 20-25 percent
• Lignin 18-24 percent
• Ash 1-4 percent
• Waxes <1 percent

Bagasse is a heterogeneous material containing around 30-40 percent of “pith” fiber, which is derived from the core of the plant and is mainly parenchyma material, and “bast”, “rind”, or “stem” fiber, which makes up the balance and is largely derived from sclerenchyma material. These properties make bagasse particularly problematic for paper manufacture and have been the subject of a large body of literature. ^{[ quote needed ]}

Uses

Many research efforts-have Explored using bagasse as a renewable power generation source and for the manufacture of bio-based materials .

Fuel

Bagasse is often used as a primary fuel source for sugar mills. When burned in quantity, it produces enough energy to supply all the needs of a typical sugar mill, with energy to spare. To this end, a secondary use for this waste product is in cogeneration , the use of a fuel source to Provide Both heat energy, used in the mill, and electricity, qui est Typically sold it to the consumer electrical grid .

The lower calorific value (LCV) of bagasse in kJ / kg may be estimated using the formula: LCV = 18260 – 207.01 × Moisture – 31.14 × Brix – 182.60 × Ash , where the moisture, brix and ash content of the bagasse are expressed as a percentage by mass. Similarly, the higher calorific value (HCV) of bagasse may be estimated using: HCV = 19605 – 196.05 × Moisture – 31.14 × Brix – 196.05 × Ash . ^[3]

The resulting CO ₂ emissions are less than the amount of CO ₂ that the sugarcane plant absorbs from the atmosphere during its growing phase, which makes the process of cogeneration greenhouse gas neutral. In countries such as Australia, sugar factories contribute “green” power to the electricity grid. Florida Crystals Corporation, one of America’s largest sugar companies, owns and operates the largest biomass power plant in North America. The 140 MW facility uses bagasse and urban wood waste as fuel to generate enough energy to power its milling and refining operations. Hawaiian Electric Industries also burns bagasse for cogeneration.

Ethanol produced from the sugar in sugarcane is a popular fuel in Brazil . The cellulose-rich bagasse is being widely investigated for its potential for producing commercial quantities of cellulosic ethanol . For example, until May 2015 BP was operating a cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant based on cellulosic materials in Jennings, Louisiana .

Bagasse’s potential for advanced biofuels has been shown by several researchers. ^[4] [5] However, the compatibility of these crude oils in the form of crude oil has been reduced. ^[6]

Pulp, paper, board and feed

Bagasse is commonly used as a substitute for wood in many tropical and subtropical countries for the production of pulp, paper and board, such as India, China, Colombia, Iran, Thailand, and Argentina. It is also widely used for the production of food and for the production of food. ^[2] It can also be used for the production of plywood or particle board, called bagasse board and Xanita board, and is considered a good substitute for plywood. It has wide use for making partitions and furniture.

The industrial process to convert bagasse into paper was developed in 1937 in a small laboratory in Hacienda Paramonga, a sugar mill in the coast of Peru owned by WR Grace Company . With a promising method, the company bought an old paper mill in Whippany, New Jersey and shipped bagasse from Peru to test the viability of the process on an industrial scale. The first paper manufacturing machine was designed in Germany and installed in the Cartavio sugar cane plant in 1938. ^[7] Sociedad Paramonga was purchased in 1997 by Quimpac ^[8] and in 2015 produced 90,000 metric tons of office paper, toilet paper and cardboard for the Peruvian market. ^[9]

K-Much Industry has patented a method of converting bagasse into cattle feed by mixing it with molasses and enzymes (such as bromelain) and fermenting it. It is marketed in Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Middle East and Australia as “fiber rich”. ^{[ quote needed ]}

Xanita, a South African company, mixes 30 percent bagasse cellulose fibers with recycled fiber paper to make ultra lightweight composite boards. These are sold as an environmentally-friendly, formaldehyde-free alternative to MDF and particle board . ^[10]

Health impact

Workplace exposure to the treatment of bagasse can cause pulmonary fibrosis , more specifically referred to as bagassosis . ^[11]

Human consumption

Processed bagasse is added to the food as sugar cane fiber. ^[12] It is a soluble fiber but can help promote intestinal regularity. ^[12] One animal study suggests that sugar cane fiber combined with a high fat diet can help control type 2 diabetes. ^[13]

In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region , China , bagasse is sometimes used to smoke bacon and sausages.

See also

• Biofuel
• Bioenergy
• Corn stover

References