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AIR3-CT94-2465
Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinaceae). Development of A new Crop Production System Based on Delayed Harvesting and A System for its Combined Processing to Chemical Pulp and Biofuel Powder |
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Proposal No: | AIR3-CT94-2465 |
| Date Prepared: | November 1999 | |
| Source: | Final report 1998 |
Introduction
The Reed canary grass project aims to evaluate if new breeding lines of reed canary grass suits to various European agricultural areas and to evaluate if the new delayed harvesting method originally developed in Sweden can be used all over the northern parts of Europe. Another part of the project deals with developing a system for its combined processing to chemical pulp and biofuel powder.
Objectives
The project is organised with an integrated approach. The scientific objectives are to develop the C3 plant reed canary grass to an economically and environmentally competitive industrial crop for combined production of high quality chemical pulp and bioenergy fuel powder. This is done by a series of tasks that aimed to:
Results
Crop production studies were performed according to the work plan. The breeding lines tested showed that in most cases suitable new varieties can be expected to be introduced for industrial and energy use. Some breeding lines which seems to be the best ones in the northern pans of Sweden have shown a poor development in the other experimental fields. The homogeneity studies show that there are good potentials to develop rapid new methods for quality determinations based on DRIFT and NIRR measurements and multivariate methods for data handling.
The intermediate processing studies indicated a process concept with 70 % of pulp raw material with good pulping quality can be obtained. The intermediate processing seems also to be a good way to decrease the silica content in the pulp raw material, as well as to make it possible to improve the dewatering properties of the pulp and to produce a pulp raw material which can be the base for establishing environmental friendly bleaching processes.
Development of the cooking process shows that the conventional sulphate cooking process can be optimised for this raw material with high yields and also that new specific cooking processes can be developed for this kind of raw materials. The chemical recovery system studies show that existing silica removal systems can be used for this kind of raw material.
The studies of fuel upgrading techniques for the meal fraction have demonstrated that conventional existing techniques need modifications and adaptations to this kind of fuels. The combustion tests have also shown that this kind of ash rich fuels are not suitable for conventional small boilers developed for wood fuels with low ash content. The ongoing studies indicate that modified boilers are needed to handle the ash and high silica content.
The system and cost analyse studies were concentrated on some specific scenarios. The initial studies indicate that there is an economic possibility of using reed canary grass in pulp production.
Discussion
Results obtained in the crop production topic indicates that there are good possibilities to develop the delayed harvesting method for use in northern parts of Europe but results from the following years of growing must be obtained and analysed before further recommendations can be done. The homogeneity studies indicated that good possibilities exist to introduce new rapid and cost effective methods which can help to focus more on quality in production of industrial raw materials from agriculture.
The results so far obtained in the intermediate processing indicates possibilities to develop the process for use with delayed harvested reed canary grass and appears of important as a means of getting raw material suitable for pulp and paper industry. It also seems to be of particular importance in the developing economical and environmentally sound processes concerning yield, silica removal, removal of fines as well as to get a raw material that can be bleached with an environmentally favourable processes.
In the pulping processes, a very high yield of pulp been obtained, both in the optimising of the conventional sulphate cooking process as well as in a new process with soda-oxygen cooking. This seems to be the best process for agrofibre raw materials if a new mill will be constructed.
Work on problems associated with fuel upgrading and combustion of reed canary grass has focused on the need of increasing knowledge concerning morphological as well as chemical behaviour of reed canary grass . The ongoing basic studies of fuel powder and ash morphology are expected to increase the understanding of the processes so that improved technology can be introduced.
Reed canary grass yielded about 10 tons DM/ha on medium soils in the Scandinavian countries. The net yield is only about 5-6 tons DM/ha due to harvest and storage losses and losses caused by delayed harvest. A first real yield is obtainable after 2-3 years. It requires a minimal input of fertilisers, irrigation and pesticides. A preliminary cost calculation indicated that the future production of reed canary grass for pulp and upgraded fuel could he economic viable, where it could be competitive with short fibre pulpwood such as birch. However, large variations of the pulp price (which is relatively common in the pulp market) could influence the economic viability of producing reed canary grass.
Sweden and Finland are the leading producers of pulp and paper. The sulphate pulp production method, which is recommended for reed canary grass pulp is primarily taking place at the Scandinavian pulp mills. In this respect it is recommended that reed canary grass pulp should be produced at sulphate pulp mills on very large units in Finland and Sweden. The average production at these mills range between 300-400.000 tons per year. Production on large units will inevitably imply a considerable area with reed canary grass and long transport distances between the farm and the mill. Other pulping processes might be considered for small scale pulping in England and Germany. Production and consumption of paper and board seems to be relatively stable or increasing. There is expected to be a stable consumption of pulp with short fibres. Sweden and Finland are not self-sufficient with hardwood, which implies that there is a market for short fibres in Scandinavia.
Conclusion
Reed canary grass pellets and powder could be economically viable for private heating. However, the price of fossil fuels is still very low and RCG is only competitive when the conventional fuels are taxed. Biofuel is not taxed in most of the north European countries. Instead, fossil fuel is taxed when it is applied for private domestic heating. However, industry and commerce have different exemption schemes. These tax regulations favour bio-fuels for heating in private domestic households in some countries.
© Copyright 2006 Policy Statements
Updated
by CPL Press:
03/07/2007
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