Characterization of rice, coffee and cocoa crops residues as fuel of thermal power plant in Cote d'Ivoire

摘要

This study presents the thermochemical characterization of rice straw, rice husk, coffee husk and cocoa pod husk. The main objective of this characterization is to determine the thermochemical properties of these crops residues to be used as fuel for a biomass thermal power plant for electricity production in rural areas of Cote d'Ivoire. For this purpose, samples of rice straw, rice husk, coffee husk and cocoa pod husk from Kodaya were analysed. These analyses consisted of the determination of the proximate and ultimate composition, heating value and ash composition of different residues samples. The results revealed that residues from rice, coffee and cocoa crops had moisture contents of 7.82-12.33%, volatile matter contents of 64.02-72.94%, ash contents of 8-23.7% and higher heating values ranging from 12.24 to 15.02 MJ/kg. The ashes from rice straw and rice husk are rich in silicon (64.45-74.78%) while those from the cocoa pod husk and coffee husk are rich in potassium (72.05-77.53%). Crops residues were also found to contain significant proportions of chlorine (0.02-0.3%), sulphur (0.21-0.32%) and nitrogen (0.5-3.01%). In order to protect the environment against greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuels; and to preserve natural resources for future generations, these thermochemical properties make rice, coffee and cocoa crops residues from the rural areas of Cote d'Ivoire a clean biofuel resource that can be exploited for the production of electricity from biomass thermal power plants.