Mass Flow Analysis and Characterization of Selected Agricultural Wastes for Gasification

Abstract

Recycling of crop wastes is essential to value addition in the chain of the agricultural production sector just like it is considered to lower the greenhouse emissions effect on the environment. However, the sustainability of the supply chain of these wastes based on the contemporary patterns of consumption and the viability of establishing new value-adding applications such as new energy generation techniques that can utilize the wastes, required an assessment of the availability of these resources. Hence, research was conducted to determine the availability and further, calculations were done for the estimated ranges of the total quantity of maize, wheat, macadamia, coffee, sugarcane and pineapples wastes produced in the country. Results were then presented in the subsequent sections in this report where An ANOVA test and trends in production were used to assess the crop waste supply chain sustainability. The projections for the production of the chosen crops were optimistic, and it was established that there would be varied quantities of waste from these crops accessible throughout the year. The examination of wastes’ mass flow and availability determined that sugarcane bagasse, rice husks, coffee husks, and macadamia shells showed the highest potential. In addition, the waste producers showed a readiness to sell their garbage in order to generate more revenue. Furthermore, the performed LCA tests confirmed the high production costs, hence emphasizing the need for value addition in the supply chain..........................................