Chemo-physical and thermal properties of sugarcane bagasse fractions (fibre and pith) technique

Good understanding of chemo-physical properties of sugarcane bagasse biomass and its fractions is vital for energy co-generation and briquetting. The present study was conducted on bagasse biomass collected from Tongaat Hullet Maidstone Mill to explore the influence of separating bagasse into pith and fibre fractions on their energy density. Bagasse biomass was separated into component fractions and then milled for characterisation for pre-analysis. Analysis was carried out for: moisture content, bulk density, proximate analysis, elemental analysis, calorific values and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Pith fraction had a lower energy density of 15.74 MJ/kg as compared to fibre 17.73 MJ/kg and bagasse 16.14 MJ/kg. Also fibre had a high bulk density of 230 kg/m3 as compared to bagasse (190 kg/m3) and pith the least at 77 kg/m3. Bagasse and fibre was milled and demonstrated a similar particle size distribution ranging from 0.39 – 0.48mm whilst pith ranged from 0.52 – 0.68mm at moisture content less than 10% moisture. Results from the proximate analysis and TGA curves indicated a higher ash content for pith than bagasse and fibre, as well as higher decomposition rate for pith than bagasse and fibre. Elemental contents: carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen were almost similar in bagasse and fibre as compared to the pith fraction with a higher amount of carbon than nitrogen and hydrogen contents. Bagasse, fibre and pith had zero percent sulphur content, which proved that bagasse biomass is environmental friendly. Preliminary results of this study serve to establish a database for the potential of fibre to be used as the feed stock biomass for energy cogeneration as compared to bagasse and the pith fraction.