Abstract
This work was conducted to examine the potential of rapeseed flour (RF) and rape stalk (RS), which are by-products provided from the production of bio-diesel, as a raw material of solid bio-fuels. At first, the chemical compositions of RF and RS were analyzed, and then pellets were made by RF and RS. After that, the characteristics of RF, RS and the pellets were investigated. Ash contents of RF and RS were much higher than those of wood pellet and the pellet standard adopted by Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI). In the elemental analyses, high contents of nitrogen and sulfur were detected from RF and RS. For the characteristics of RF, RS and the pellets, higher heating values of RF and RS were lower than wood pellet, but the moisture content and density of RF- and RS-pellet were satisfied with KFRI standard for 1st-grade pellet. The durability of RF-pellet was in excess of KFRI standard for 1st-grade pellet, but that of RS-pellet was little bit higher than KFRI standard for 3rd-grade pellet. Based on the results of our works, RF and RS might be used as a raw material of low-grade pellets for cogeneration or large-scale plants. Further processes for the improvements of basic characteristics, such as ash content, nitrogen and sulfur contents, and heating value, are required for RF and RS to be used as a raw materials of high-grade pellet.