Open AccessReuse of rapeseed by-products from biodiesel production
Author(s) -
Tajana Krička,
Ana Matin,
Neven Voća,
Vanja Jurišić,
Nikola Bilandžija
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
spanish journal of agricultural research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2171-9292
pISSN - 1695-971X
DOI - 10.5424/sjar/2015131-6492
Subject(s) - rapeseed , biofuel , pulp and paper industry , fertilizer , bioenergy , water content , chemistry , heat of combustion , biodiesel , biogas , raw material , environmental science , biodiesel production , anaerobic digestion , agronomy , waste management , food science , combustion , methane , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering , biology , geotechnical engineering
The objective of this paper is to investigate usability of rapeseed cake from biodiesel fuel production as an energy source. For this research, rapeseed was grown at the research site of the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb, Croatia. The investigated rapeseed cake, residue from cold pressing, was divided in two groups of samples. The first group was a mix of three varieties (Bristol, Express and Navajo), while the other group consisted of three hybrids (Artus, Baldur, Titan). The utilization of rapeseed cake for energy via two routes was evaluated; namely, utilization of rapeseed cake as (1) solid biofuel (pellets) with addition of 3% of glycerol, and (2) as substrate in anaerobic digestion (AD). In investigation of cake as solid fuel, proximate (moisture content, ash content, fixed carbon and volatile matter), ultimate (content of carbon, sulphur, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen) and physical and calometry analyses (abrasion, diameter, length, density, higher and lower heating value were carried out. As for its use in AD, production of biogas during 40 days was monitored with a view of assessing the use of digested residue as fertilizer in agricultural production. Both groups of digested residues were analysed (pH, electroconductivity, moisture content, ash content, content of nitrogen and carbon, C/N ratio, content of P2O5, K2O, Ca, Mg, Na). The analysis indicated that the investigated raw material is usable as solid and gas biofuel, and digested residue as fertilizer in ecological agriculture. The two groups of samples analysed here did not show significant differences