Determination of some parameters of biomass fuel pellets from water hyacinth

Abstract

This study presents the results of an investigation into the basic parameters of water hyacinth pellets, including bulk density, mechanical strength, total moisture content, ash content, volatile matter content, fixed carbon content, and calorific value. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) was employed to examine the combustion characteristics, while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the morphological structure of the water hyacinth pellets. The influence of two important parameters-compression pressure and raw material particle size-on the bulk density of water hyacinth pellets was also evaluated. The results indicated that most of the parameters of water hyacinth pellets meet the requirements of the TCVN 13534:2022 standard for fuel pellets. An optimal compression pressure of approximately 150 MPa and raw material size smaller than 2 mm were found to be suitable for the pelletizing process. The TG and DTG analysis revealed that water hyacinth pellets have promising potential as an efficient biofuel with rapid thermal decomposition characteristics. These results provided a strong basis for the viability of using water hyacinth as a raw material for energy pellet production.