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Particle Size Reduction during Harvesting of Crop Feedstock for Biogas Production I: Effects on Ensiling Process and Methane Yields

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Abstract

Shortening chopping length at harvest of biogas crops is a basic method of mechanical pretreatment that potentially affects subsequent conservation and biogas production processes. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of a wider range of particle size distributions achieved by laboratory chopping and of practice-oriented short and very short chopping lengths induced by forage harvesters, respectively, on ensiling parameters and methane formation. Shortening the cutting length enhanced lactic acid fermentation during ensiling and increased methane yield, although the effects of ensilage products on methane production partly overlaid the direct positive influence due to reduced particle size. A maximum increase in methane yield of 11 % to 13 % was obtained in the range of median particle lengths of 33 to 6 mm when taking storage losses into account. Thus, very short chopping lengths are beneficial for conservation and methane formation, yet full assessment necessitates further consideration of additional expenditures at harvest.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Giovanna Rehde and her team, as well as Lars Eulenburg for assistance with laboratory work, and to Jutta Venzke, Angelika Krüger, and Astrid Zimmermann for conducting particle size analyses. We are also grateful to Detlef May, Martin Schulze and Uwe Mertin for facilitation of field experiments and for supplying crop materials. This research was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (FKZ 2200–2605).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim, Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469, Potsdam, Germany

    C. Herrmann, M. Heiermann, C. Idler & A. Prochnow

  2. Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Hinter der Reinhardtstr 8-18, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    A. Prochnow

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  1. C. Herrmann
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  2. M. Heiermann
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  4. A. Prochnow
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Correspondence to C. Herrmann.

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Herrmann, C., Heiermann, M., Idler, C. et al. Particle Size Reduction during Harvesting of Crop Feedstock for Biogas Production I: Effects on Ensiling Process and Methane Yields. Bioenerg. Res. 5, 926–936 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9206-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-012-9206-2

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