Physical properties of bagasse

Bagasse is a by-product of sugar milling and important fuel resource for th at industry. It is a fibrous, low density material with a very wide range o f particle sizes and high moisture content. It is difficult to characterize properties of bagasse particles in the usual ways (i.e. by particle densit y, site, drag co-efficient, etc.). These properties are necessary to apply normal design procedures to, for example, pneumatic conveying, fluidization , drying, combustion, etc. In this paper techniques to determine some physi cal properties of the three major components of bagasse, namely pith, fibre and rind, are demonstrated. Average material properties may then be obtain ed based on the weight proportions of the components constituting the bagas se. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.