Experimental evaluation of sugar cane bagasse storage in bales system

Abstract

An experimental evaluation was carried out on three bagasse storage piles with the following characteristics: wet baled raw bagasse, wet baled depithed bagasse and pre-dried baled depithed bagasse. In each of these formerly mentioned alternatives, the storage time influence was analyzed on temperature profile, humidity behavior, granulometry and morphology, with and without mechanical treatment, solubility in hot water, NaOH and alcoholbenzene extractives. In the same way, the behavior of brightness in mechanical pulps produced from stored bagasse was studied. Storage losses were calculated for each alternative on the basis of obtained results and it was demonstrated that pre-dried bagasse as compared with wet bagasse storage, yields lower losses and better conservation of its characteristics.