• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.450-457
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• 2020

Single pellet press technology allows for fast, low-cost, and small-scale tests to investigate pelletizing characteristics. We estimated proper compression ratios for five Korean domestic wood species through predicted relationships between pelletizing pressure P_x and compression ratio based on experimental data obtained from a single pellet press unit. The pressures required to obtain a 6-mm-diam pellet of density 1200 kg/㎥ were estimated as 111 MPa for Populus davidiana, 133 MPa for Robinia pseudoacacia, 136 MPa for Quercus mongolica, 97 MPa for Pinus densiflora, and 127 MPa for Pinus rigida. On the basis of these pressures, we estimated proper compression ratios to be within the range 7.676-8.410 for these species, and we found the compression ratios needed for hardwood species to be somewhat higher than those needed for softwood species to obtain the pellet density of 1200 kg/㎥.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.671-681
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• 2017

Oil palm trunk (OPT) is a potential source of biomass for the production of biopellet. In the present research, biopellet were prepared from the meristem part of 25 years old OPT with various percentages of its bark (0, 10, and 30%). The highest biopellet durability was found for biopellet produced at $130^{\circ}C$ of pelletizing temperature with 30% bark content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of biopellet showed the weak of particle bonding due to the low pelletizing pressure. The moisture content, unit density, ash content, and caloric value of OPT-based pellets were 3.55-5.35%, $525.56-855.23kg/m^3$, 2.76-3.44%, and 17.89-19.14 MJ/kg, respectively. The combustion profiles obtained by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) seemed to be unaffected by the bark content on. Differential thermal analysis of TGA curve indicated different pyrolysis characteristic of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.381-389
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• 2015

본 연구에서는 반탄화된 낙엽송 칩을 분쇄한 후 그 입자를 이용한 펠릿성형에서 함수율과 입자크기의 영향을 반탄화 조건($220^{\circ}C$-50분, $250^{\circ}C$-50분, $250^{\circ}C$-120분)에 따라 조사하였다. 반탄화 후 함수율은 0.69~1.75%로 반탄화 처리전의 5.26%보다 낮았으나, 회분이나 발열량은 증가하였다. 또한 반탄화에 의한 중량감소율은 크게 증가하였는데 이는 헤미셀룰로오스의 분해가 활발하게 일어났기 때문으로 생각된다. 반탄화 낙엽송 칩에 포함된 탄소함량은 반탄화 처리 전 낙엽송 칩과 비교하여 증가하였으며 수소와 산소함량은 감소하였다. 반탄화 낙엽송 칩에 포함된 리그닌과 글루칸 함량은 반탄화 정도가 증가할수록 증가하였으며 헤미셀룰로오스는 감소하였다. 반탄화 칩을 분쇄하여 입자크기분포를 비교한 결과 높은 반탄화 조건은 낮은 반탄화 조건에서보다 1 mm 이하의 미세분 함량이 높았고 $500{\AA}$ 이상의 macropore가 생성되었다. 반탄화 분쇄 입자를 이용한 펠릿성형 과정에서 입자크기와 관계없이 반탄화 분쇄 입자의 함수율이 증가할수록 투입된 반탄화 분쇄 입자가 받는 압력은 감소하였으며 펠릿길이는 증가하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• 제45권6호
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• pp.703-719
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• 2017

Miscanthus had a higher lignin content (19.5 wt%) and carbohydrate (67.6 wt%) than other herbaceous crops, resulting in higher pellet strength and positive effect on combustion. However, miscanthus also contains a high amount of hydrophobic waxes on its outer surface, cuticula, which limits the pellet quality. The glass transition of lignin and cuticula were related to forming inter-particle bonding, which determined mechanical properties of pellet. To determine the effects of surface waxes, both on the pelletizing process and the pellet strength were compared with raw and extracted samples through solvent extraction. In addition, to clarify the relationship between pellet process parameters and bonding mechanisms, the particle size and temperature are varied while maintaining the moisture content of the materials and the die pressure at constant values. Furthermore, kraft lignin was employed to determine the effect of kraft lignin as an additive in the pellets. As results, the removal of cuticula through ethanol extractions improved the mechanical properties of the pellet by the formation of strong inter-particle interactions. Interestingly, the presence of lignin in miscanthus improves its mechanical properties and decreases friction against the inner die at temperatures above the glass transition temperature ($T_g$) of lignin. Consequently, it could found that the use of kraft lignin as an additive in pellet reduced friction in the inner die upon reaching its glass transition temperature.