Agronomy
2021, 11, 169
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Sugarcane produces two main types of residues: sugarcane bagasse and sugarcane
trash. Bagasse represents up to 30% of sugarcane weight [
18
]. One way to use sugarcane
bagasse is for energy production. Bagasse can be burned as raw material, with no specific
processing. Very often, directly from the sugar mill, bagasse is fed into the boiler. However,
in this case, its calorific value is very low [
58
]. By Brunerová et al. [
59
], bagasse in the
form of briquettes presents a much better energy source with high calorific value and other
positive indicators. Moreover, Bhattacharyya and Thang [
55
] have stated that improving
heat and power production is an attractive option to meet energy demands in Vietnam.
Furthermore, one solution is to enhance the energy production in sugar mills via an
increase in the calorific value of processed bagasse (dried and transformed into briquettes).
According to Kanwal et al. [
60
], the torrefaction of bagasse is also considered due to the
improvement of energy production characteristics. Thus, the higher calorific value offers
the opportunity to produce more energy than factories require, and the rest of the energy
will be sold out. In terms of the entire sugar industry in Vietnam, this solution could help
national energy security.
The second residue is sugarcane trash, i.e., biomass, which is left on the field after
harvesting, and it consists of green leaves, dry leaves, sheaths, tops, stalk fractions and
physical mineral impurities [
61
]. The average production of sugarcane trash is estimated to
be 14 tons per ha (20%) [
62
]. Normal practice is to windrow and burn this biomass in the
field [
36
]. According to Rípoli et al. [
33
], the most promising usage of sugarcane trash is as
a fuel for direct energy production or as a part of feedstock for second-generation biofuels.
In addition, Nakashima et al. [
63
] highlighted that for the right and sustainable utilization
of trash, appropriate handling at the beginning is always important. Hand-in-hand with
the harvesting of the demanded crop, it is required to take proper care of trash, raking and
baling, leading to a better collection of waste with low amounts of soil contaminants that
can affect it as a source. These highlights the seeming underutilization of sugarcane trash
as a potential energy source.
3.3. Evaluation of Fuel-Energy Properties of Tested Biomass Materials
Table
5
summarizes the research results indicating the main properties of tested materials.
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