Pellets of Hordeum vulgare, Pisum sativum and Vicia faba agricultural biomass residues for bioenergy production

Some agricultural activities generate a large amount of residues that are discarded during harvesting. In recent times, these vegetable biomass residues have been used as raw material in the production of bioenergy, with important environmental advantages. The objective of the research was the manufacture of pellets using as raw material residual biomass from the harvesting activity of the cereal Hordeum vulgare and the grain legumes Pisum sativum and Vicia faba. Manihot esculenta starch and stony endocarp of Carya illinoinensis were used as binders in the preparation of the pellets. Subsequently, the energy power and combustion capacity of the pellets and other characteristics were evaluated by analytical methods. It was found that Vicia faba pellets with Manihot esculenta (coded as HA+AY) had the highest calorific value of 11, 534, 720 kcal/kg; Hordeum vulgare pellets with Manihot esculenta (coded as CE+AY) presen ted better physicochemical character istics with 85. 086% volatile matter, 1.163% ash, 13.751% fixed carbon, 1.299 g/cm3 density and with 11, 337.866 kcal/kg calorific value. The pellets with the best mechanical characteristics were those coded as HA+AY, which presented 0.17 kg/cm2 of compressive strength; likewise, for this same type of pellets it was found that in the combustion of the pellets for the boiling of half a liter of water, it was done in the shortest time (6 min). Therefore, it is feasible the use of this type of agricultural waste in the production of bioenergy within the efforts of environmental sustainability and circular economy, which reaches especially rural populations and low economic capacity.