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ABSTRACT. Mechanical properties of corn stover grind are important because of the need for accurate input data in the
mathematical modeling of densification processes and the design of densification equipment. Mechanical properties of corn
stover grind such as particle size distribution, bulk and particle densities, compressibility, particle stiffness, wall friction, and
adhesion on steel surfaces were determined with two hammer mill screen sizes (3.18 and 6.35 mm) used in grinding at three
different moisture contents (7%, 11%, and 15% w.b.). Compression tests were conducted for each combination of hammer
mill screen size and moisture content to establish pressure−density data at different applied pressures. Mechanical properties
such as compressibility, initial bulk modulus, porosity index, and particle stiffness were determined from the pressure−density
data. Shear tests were conducted to determine the coefficient of friction between the steel plate and corn stover grind at
different moisture contents and normal pressures.
Keywords. Coefficient of wall friction, Compressibility, Corn stover grind, Initial bulk modulus, Particle stiffness, Physical
properties.
C
orn (Zea mays) stover is the most abundant field the powder (Peleg, 1977; Moreyra and Peleg, 1981; Tabil and
crop residue in the U.S., comprising roughly 80% Sokhansanj, 1997). A highly compressible powder is less
of total agricultural residues (Kadam and McMil- flowable, and vice versa. Tabil and Sokhansanj (1997)
lan, 2001). Studies are underway to use corn stover reported that high−quality alfalfa grind had higher compress-
as a feedstock to produce chemicals, ethanol, and producer ibility than grind from low− and medium−quality alfalfa.
gas from gasification processes. Handling and storage of Bilanski et al. (1985) reported the stress−density behavior of
stover are major obstacles in bio−based energy production. forages during compression. They found that the maximum
The low bulk density of loose stover (80 kg/m3) place this density and particle stiffness for alfalfa were 1415 kg/m3 and
ample feedstock at a disadvantage compared to wood chips 29.1 MPa, respectively, at 12.5% moisture content. Particle
with a bulk density of 250 kg/m3 (Tripathi et al., 1998; De- stiffness decreased with an increase in moisture content
mirbaº, 2001). Densified pellets from wood are produced because water in the compact acted as a damper.
commercially and used in furnaces and fuel stoves (Samson In storage, flow, and handling, accurate knowledge of the
et al., 2000). Conversion of low bulk density stover into a frictional behavior of corn stover grind is essential for the
densified form for energy conversion improves the efficiency efficient design of equipment and for the prediction of flow
and cost of handling, transportation, and storage. behavior. The frictional behavior of biomass grind in all
The physical properties related to corn stover grind engineering applications is described by two independent
compaction are important because of the need for accurate parameters: the coefficient of internal friction, and the
input data for mathematical models of the compaction coefficient of wall friction. The former determines the stress
process. Flowability is a measure of the quality of powdered distribution within particles undergoing strain, and the latter
materials that influences the end products in chemical, describes the magnitude of the stresses between the particle
mineral, and food industries. The three key parameters and the walls of its container (Seville et al., 1997). Factors
required in assessing flowability are cohesive strength, wall that affect wall friction include particle size and shape,
friction, and compressibility (Knowlton et al., 1994). Com- moisture content, temperature, storage time at rest, and
pressibility of food powders and biomass grind was reported presence of waxy substances.
by a number of researchers, as it is related to flowability of Wall friction is also important in the design of densifica-
tion equipment and modeling of compression behavior of
powdered materials. The classic law of friction states that
Article was submitted for review in July 2003; approved for publication frictional force is directly proportional to the total force that
by the Food & Process Engineering Institute Division of ASAE in acts normal to the shear surfaces. Frictional force depends on
November 2004. Presented at the 2003 ASAE Annual Meeting as Paper No. the nature of the materials in contact but is independent of the
036090. area of contact or sliding velocity (Mohsenin, 1986). The
The authors are Sudhagar Mani, ASAE Student Member, Graduate friction coefficient of many agricultural materials has been
Student, and Lope G. Tabil, Jr., ASAE Member Engineer, Assistant
Professor, Department of Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering, reported by a number of researchers (Richter, 1954; Snyder
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; and et al., 1967; Thompson and Ross, 1983; Chung and Verma,
Shahab Sokhansanj, ASAE Member Engineer, Distinguished Research 1989; Puchalski and Brusewitz, 1996).
Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Based on our literature search, no information is available
Corresponding author: Prof. Lope G. Tabil, Jr., Department of
Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering, University of Saskatchewan,
on the mechanical and frictional properties of corn stover
57 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, Canada; phone: 306−966−5317; grind. Therefore, the present work was undertaken to:
fax: 306−966−5334; e−mail: lope.tabil@usask.ca. (1) determine the physical and mechanical characteristics of
Table 1. Physical properties of corn stover chopped and grind at a moisture content of 7%.
Hammer Mill Geometric Mean Geometric Standard Bulk Particle
Screen Size Particle Diameter Deviation Density Density
(mm) (mm) (mm) (kg/m3)[a] (kg/m3)[a]
Tub ground chop 5.600 3.120 42.25 (2.5) −−
6.35 0.682 0.366 111.73 (0.28) 1085 (9)
3.18 0.407 0.349 130.30 (0.79) 1210 (4)
[a] Numbers in the parentheses are standard deviations (n = 3).
25
3.18 mm screen size
6.35 mm screen size
Percent mass retained
20
15
10
0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
Figure 3. Particle size distribution of corn stover grind (average of three tests).
1400
15% (w.b.) m.c
1200 11% (w.b.) m.c
7% (w.b.) m.c
1000
Compact density (γ), kg/m3
400
γ = 521.03 logP + 97.501
2
R = 0.99
200
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Log P
Figure 4. Pressure−density relationship for corn stover grind at the 6.35 mm hammer mill screen size (P = pressure applied, MPa).
1400
15% (w.b.) m.c
1200 11% (w.b.) m.c
7% (w.b.) m.c
Compact density (γ), kg/m3
1000
γ = 476.37 logP + 195.5
R2 = 0.98
800
400
γ = 413.64 logP + 296.28
R2 = 0.99
200
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Log P
Figure 5. Pressure−density relationship for corn stover grind at the 3.18 mm hammer mill screen size (P = pressure applied, MPa)
bil and Sokhansanj, 1996). Tabil and Sokhansanj (1997) re- stover grind from the 6.35 mm hammer mill screen size was
ported that high−quality alfalfa grind was highly compress- slightly higher than the particle density of the grind shown in
ible when compared to low− and medium−quality alfalfa table 1. This might have been due to the rearrangement and
grind. mechanical interlocking of some particles in the grind during
Particle stiffness and maximum particle density of corn heating and compression.
stover grind at different moisture contents and screen sizes The initial bulk modulus and porosity index of corn stover
are also listed in table 2. Particle stiffness of corn stover grind grind are also given in table 2. When a material is compressed
at low moisture content was higher than at high moisture by the application of axial pressure, the degree of volumetric
content due to the damping nature of moisture present in the incompressibility is measured by its bulk modulus (Faborode
grind. Similar result was reported by Bilanski et al. (1985) for and O’Callaghan, 1986). Therefore, the initial bulk modulus
grasses. The estimated maximum density of compacted corn represents the incompressibility of the material. Corn stover
100
60 τ = 0.18 σ + 1.8487
R2 = 0.99
40 τ= 0.22 σ + 0.3723
R2 = 0.99
τ= 0.19 σ + 0.9742
20
R2 = 0.99
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Normal stress (σ), kPa
Figure 6. Typical relationship between normal stress and shear stress for corn stover grind at the 6.35 mm hammer mill screen size.
0.2
0.1
0
0 100 200 300 400 500
Normal stress (σ), kPa
Figure 7. Typical relationship between coefficient of wall friction and normal stress data for corn stover grind at the 3.18 mm hammer mill screen size.
0.3
tub ground sample
6.35 mm hammer mill screen size
3.18 mm hammer mill screen size
Coefficient of Wall friction (µ)
0.25
µ = 0.0025m2 −0.0466m + 0.3839
R2 = 0.98
0.2
0.15
µ = 0.0016m2 − 0.0316m + 0.3308
µ = −0.0002m2 + 0.0089m + 0.1155
R2 = 0.98
R2 = 0.99
0.1
5 7 9 11 13 15 17
Moisture content (m), (% w.b.)
Figure 8. Effect of moisture content on the coefficient of wall friction at different corn stover grind sizes.