Bassam Al Atalah*(1), Jwad Sharaf (1), Safwan Abu Assaf (1), Remal Saab (1), Ali Alhwarin (1), Samer Kiwan(1), Wassim Mohsen (1)and Awad Alflah (1)

(1). Sweida Research Center/ General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR)/ Syria.

Abstract

This study was conducted at Ira Research Station/ Sweida Research Center/ General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research/ Syria during 2019 and 2020. The aim of the current study was determining the possibility of pelletizing heating cylinders from the pruning residues of apple trees, and using them as a source of heating at houses, in addition to determining the properties of the final product. Cylinders were prepared starting from pruning residues after they were cut and mixed with several bond materials (starch, gypsum, glue) at different ratios (5 and 10% for gypsum and glue, 2, 5 and 10% for starch), and finally they were compressed by a hydraulic compressing machine. In addition, several tests were conducted, including compaction, transportation and combustion tests. Statistical descriptive analytical approach was used in this study, in addition to ANOVA analysis to compare means. The results revealed that the general mean for the weight of one cylinder was 471.25 g, and for the size was 1741.41 cm3. In addition, starch treatments were the best for the compaction test, especially 10% starch treatment that registered as an excellent compaction degree. On the contrary, starch treatments lost the greatest weight after transportation test compared to other treatments. As for combustion test, no differences were noticed among all treatments. In general, the mean temperature before starting the combustion test was registered as 12.38 °C, whereas the mean time for reaching 18° C was 11 min, and the maximum temperature reached was 21.25° C. The mean time of dropping the temperature below 18° C was 29.5 min, and the general mean for combustion duration of three cylinders was 55 min. This study recommended pelletizing the pruning residues of fruit trees and other agricultural wastes, and using the resultant product as a heating source at houses.

Keywords: Pruning residues, Heating, Apple trees, Solid fuel, Pelletizing.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF