Biomass Properties and Gasification Behavior of Young Silver Maple Trees

Authors

  • Wayne A. Geyer
  • Walter P. Walawender

Keywords:

Silver maple, <i>Acer saccharinum</i>, wood energy, specific gravity, heating value, fiber length, gasification, and biomass yield

Abstract

Studies were conducted to establish baseline information for use in characterizing silver maple as an energy or fiber feedstock. Biomass properties were determined. Calorific value (18.26 kJ/g) and specific gravity (0.44) green volume of silver maple are similar to those of maples; and its fiber length is relatively short (0.74 mm). Ash content was 0.40%.

Air-blown gasification of whole-tree silver maple chips in a downdraft gasifier produced a low energy gas (3.7-4.4 MJ/m3). Trials at dry chip rates of 88 and 127 kg/h resulted in an average gas-to-feed mass ratio of 3.0 and an average char yield of 2.9% of the dry wood fed.

Oven-dry biomass yields were 11.1 t/ha annually at 7,000 tree/ha.

References

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Published

2007-06-19

Issue

Number 1 / January 1997

Section

Research Contributions

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