Analysis of usability of potato pulp as solid fuel

The paper describes an attempt to analyse the usability of potato pulp as a future ecological solid fuel. The analysis of potato pulp, carried out within the framework of the study, comprised the following aspects: assessing energetic values of potato pulp, assessing the effects of burning solid fuel in the form of pellets made of potato pulp, assessing energy expenditures spent on the process of drying and densification of potato pulp. The performed determination of the elemental composition (chlorine, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen), examination of energetic values of potato pulp (the humidity of potato pulp, the heat of combustion, the calorific value, and the ash content), as well as examination of densification (pelletisation) of potato pulp, make it possible to conclude that fuel made of potato pulp, in comparison to other types of biomass, could become a very good and attractive type of boiler fuel, and owing to the fact that it is produced in potato processing plants in great amounts, it could be successfully used by the professional power industry. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.