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Coir Fibers as Valuable Raw Material for Biofuel Pellet Production

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Abstract

Coir is a natural, lignin rich, fiber that can be found between the hard internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. There are multiple products made from coir fibers but a significant amount of fibers accumulating from coconut processing remains unutilized. Coir fibers obtained from ripe (brown fibers) and unripe (white fibers) have a high lignin content about 41–42 wt%, a low ash content < 15 wt% and a high heating value of about 18.5–19 MJ kg−1. The pelletizing properties were studied in a laboratory scale, single pellet press, and produced pellets were of high mechanical properties. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis was used to identify the glass transition temperature of coir lignin and indicated that at the applied conditions the softening of coir lignin occurs at about 120–130 °C, which is the usual temperature reached in an industrial scale pellet mill. These properties make coir a suitable raw material for fuel pellet production. Its high availability makes coir fibers a potential replacement for firewood and charcoal in developing countries, and thereby contributes to reduce deforestation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Bachelor of Engineering Studies, Technical University of Denmark, Lautrupvang 15, 2750, Ballerup, Denmark

    Wolfgang Stelte

  2. Biomass Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    Søren T. Barsberg & Anand R. Sanadi

  3. Forest Products Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, 1 Gifford Pinchot Dr., Madison, WI, 53726-2398, USA

    Craig Clemons

  4. Embrapa Algodão, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Rua Oswaldo Cruz, 1143 - Centenario, Campina Grande, PB, Brazil

    João Paulo Saraiva Morais

  5. Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Rua Dra. Sara Mesquita, 2270, Planalto do Pici, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Morsyleide de Freitas Rosa

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Stelte
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  2. Søren T. Barsberg
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  3. Craig Clemons
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  4. João Paulo Saraiva Morais
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  5. Morsyleide de Freitas Rosa
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  6. Anand R. Sanadi
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Stelte.

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Stelte, W., Barsberg, S.T., Clemons, C. et al. Coir Fibers as Valuable Raw Material for Biofuel Pellet Production. Waste Biomass Valor 10, 3535–3543 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0362-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0362-2

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