“Theoretical and technological aspects of biomass granulation” Thesis Defence

Author, institution: Virginijus Štreimikis, Kaunas University of Technology

Science area, field: Technological sciences, Chemical Engineering

The Doctoral Dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio St. 20, Kaunas).

Scientific Advisor:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rasa Šlinkšienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical engineering – 05T)

Dissertation defence board of Chemical Engineering science field:
Prof. Dr. Raimundas ŠIAUČIŪNAS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical engineering – 05T) – chairman;
Prof. Dr. Kęstutis BALTAKYS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical engineering – 05T);
Prof. Dr. Virgilijus VALEIKA (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Chemical engineering – 05T);
Prof. Dr. Violeta MAKAREVIČIENĖ (Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Technological Sciences, Environmental Engineering – 04T);
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jonas BALTRUŠAITIS (USA Lehigh University, Technological Sciences, Chemical engineering – 05T).

Annotation:
Doctoral dissertation is devoted to important and relevant subject, which deals with compound fertilizer production and arising environmental issues. The continuous network growth of biomass boilers in Lithuania produces large amount of ashes, which are not rationally used and stored as waste. Although biomass ashes contain many nutrients needed for plants (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, etc.) and are chloride-free, their application is complicated and agrochemically ineffective without special treatment. The dissertation presents the theoretical and technological aspects of application of biomass ashes in order to use them as fertilizers and liming materials. This work contains data on the properties and production conditions for the different kinds of granulated ashes with the addition of binding and plasticity-enhancing substances (sugar factory lime, molasses, urea-formaldehyde resin). The obtained results were evaluated and optimal conditions for obtaining a quality product were modeled by using software. It is very important and valuable that research results were applied under industrial conditions. CSC “ARVI” & ko produced several types (including chloride-free) of high-quality compound fertilizers while using biomass ashes.