Mechanical and physical properties of apricot pruning (biomass) for energy purpose in Tajikistan

Abdulloeva Surayyo

Master's thesis

Abstract:

One of Tajikistan's current problem is the lack of energy access in rural areas during the winter season. The negative environmental impact associated with burning of fossil fuel has launched the expansion of solid biofuels made of different biomass as an alternative to conventional fuels in many countries. The advantages of renewable biofuels are the potential of briquettes and pellets produced from various agricultural waste or combination of raw materials. The objective of Tajikistan is to achieve energy independence. Tajikistan is an agricultural country, which farming provides food and employment to rural communities, the main source of income for a majority of the population, especially in rural areas. According to the TAJSTAT in 2017 61,617 hectares of apricot has been cultivated, which yearly are accumulated a huge quantity pruning wastes. The pruning of the apricot tree is one of the main agro-technical treatments which provides at least once a year. By the Institute of Horticulture in Tajikistan about 156 trees are growing in one hectare and every year approximately 15–20 kg of branches after pruning each tree are available for utilization as biomass, which is usually improperly wasted. The main focus of the present thesis is evaluating the possibility of using the raw materials from apricot branches for production of briquettes and pellets analyse of its properties, through the laboratory measurements and calculation of the energy yield and potential from this material.

Keywords

pellets, agriculture, apricot, briquette, Tajikistan, biomass

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 2. 5. 2019

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Vladimír Krepl, CSc.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / Sustainable Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics